


#EXOmonth Fest 2019 - part 1

by telefrosted (toyhouses)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Drabble Collection, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-02
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-07-29 04:10:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 22,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20075917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toyhouses/pseuds/telefrosted
Summary: These are my daily drabbles/ficlets for #EXOmonth fest in the month of August.Prompts and more can be found under the #EXOmonth hashtag and @EXOmonthfest on Twitter.One of the aspects of #EXOmonth fest is to gift fics!  If you'd like a ficlet gifted and see a prompt you like, please let me know! :)ETA: starting from week 3 and with week 4, i'll be posting wip snippets separately!





	1. young and rich

**Author's Note:**

> prompt for day 1: "fake dating"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _sehun/xiumin _(+_ jongin_)  
**pg**  
alpha x alpha au

Sehun furrows his brows, running a hand through his hair and belatedly realizing he's used gel today. The frown gets deeper and he sneaks a look at the shorter man walking next to him. Everyone says the outfit looks good on Sehun, that he's like a male model on the runway with his Prada long coat and turtleneck sweater. However, the older man alongside him looks stunning in his patterned Gucci couture suit, a goldenrod handkerchief in his breast pocket. The line between Sehun's eyebrows gets even deeper when he realizes that the person gifting Minseok with Gucci is probably _him_.

They're late for the meeting with their parents and it's not a secret that the chairmen of the KimOh Group are difficult men to corral into one room. The occasion isn't a formal one, but both pairs of parents are attending this dinner meeting today. Normally, Sehun would be giddy, barely able to contain his pheromones, to be having such a gathering between the two close families - just like old times. However, the occasion isn't a happy one for Sehun because of one little fact - the fact that everything is based on lies.

The only reason why Sehun's in on this scheme with Minseok is because their parents are so _godamn _insistent on the company staying within the family. This is why Minseok is standing in this hotel lobby, waiting for the elevator to the Sky Top restaurant, with Sehun. This is the only reason why Minseok is giving him the time of day instead of spending it with his secret lover. The thought makes Sehun's stomach churn with acid and a grimace forms on his face. 

Minseok looks up in disapproval, clicking his tongue.

"At least try to look like you like me" Minseok deadpans. "For someone who was a child actor, you're not very good at this."

Sehun bristles. He would like nothing more than to bark back for Minseok throwing his embarrassing childhood CF days in his face. He wants to hiss that this is more for Minseok's sake than Sehun's because _Sehun's _not the one who has an illicit lover on the side. But the elevator door opens and Sehun has to bite his tongue as the attendant bows at them. 

As the elevator doors slide shut, the attendant, obviously a beta, flinches while Minseok tosses yet another glare in Sehun's direction. Sehun just snorts defiantly, unable to articulate his frustration into words. He is upset, Sehun reasons; he has every right to release pheromones in this situation. Besides, there are no omegas in this space - just two alphas and one unrelated beta caught in the crossfire.

When the elevator reaches the restaurant floor, the attendent sighs audibly with relief. Minseok tosses an apologetic look towards the man, slipping him a crisp 50,000 won bill masked with a handshake. But Sehun turns up his nose, choosing to walk into the establishment first, leaving the other man behind. When Sehun walks in, a hush falls over the whole place and the guests as well as the waiters and staff all turn to Sehun's direction. It isn't every day that people are able to see Oh Sehun and Kim Minseok, two of the most famous and wealthy alphas in Seoul.

Before Minseok catches up with Sehun - before Minseok can nag about being rude and disrespectful to others - Sehun greets his parents and Minseok's parents in succession. 

Sehun's mother is a tall woman, sleek and elegant in her glittery white day suit. It's obvious that Sehun has inherited his mother's thinnish lips. She purses them, puckering before hugging Sehun lightly and giving him air kisses. She bends down, doing the same to Minseok when he arrives five steps after Sehun. Sehun ignores the look Minseok is giving him and steps forward to shake hands with his father, then Minseok's father, a stocky and musclar man who has the same sharp nose as Minseok does. Finally, Sehun saves the best for last. Bending down to give Minseok's mother an extra squeeze, he whispers in her ear, "I missed you, Mom".

After the exchange of hand shakes and hugs, they all sit down at the table with Minseok's mother remarking how handsome Sehun is. Sehun preens, smiling with his eyes and sitting up straight so everyone can have a better look. Minseok's mother, a small woman whose eyes looks amazingly similar to Minseok's, giggles and lightly elbows Sehun's mother in jest. Sehun's mother sighs, rolling her eyes in a mocking way but a smile plays on her lips. Unlike Minseok's cut and dried personality, Minseok's mother is more effervescent and most importantly, dotes on Sehun like he's still the five year old boy he was when he'd first met the Kim family.

"So, I hear you're doing very good work on the Marketing team, Sehun" comments Minseok's father in a mid toned husky voice, adjusting his silver tie pin in preparation to eat. He grins at Sehun's father who shrugs before smiling benevolently. "Very good work, I hear."

"What about our Minseok-ee" Sehun's father remarks, tossing his light gray linen suit jacket over the back of his chair. "I hear he's got everyone on their toes around the Planning team. So meticulous and precise our Minseok-ee is."

Minseok blushes visibly while Sehun hides a scowl behind his cup of tea. Sehun's father had always treated Minseok more like a son than he had to Sehun. Minseok, always weak to the elders, soaks it up every time. 

"Yes, yes, yes" Sehun's mother says hastily, careful to undo her gold threaded scarf from her neck. "We all know our sons are both very adept and competent. Can we order now, please? I have an engagement after this."

Minseok's father laughs heartily while Sehun's father frowns lightly at her impatience.

"But we just sat down, honey. Let us admire our children a bit more!" he protests.

"Oh my!" Minseok's mother fusses. "Then we should hurry things. I forgot everyone here is busy busy busy. Well, everyone except for me."

Minseok's mother giggles behind her hand. It's such a cute gesture that Sehun can't help but smile again in her direction.

"My mother isn't doing any important work, Mrs. Kim" Sehun assures her. "Not like your charity work. How's that coming along by the way?"

Sehun's mother rolls her eyes ever so slightly and turns to Minseok to complain about how uncaring her son is. Minseok's smile is lopsided, but he soothes her by murmuring how Sehun just shows his love in a different way. Sehun bends his head down as he listens to Minseok's mother explain about how there's a gala coming up as a fundraiser for the orphanage down in Daesun.

"So you'll need us to show our faces" Sehun concludes. "We must attend, right?"

Minseok's mother looks surprised and hesitates. "Well, I won't say no if you two love birds offer to come to the event, but I know you two are busy-"

"We'll attend" Sehun says quickly, only briefly glancing over to where Minseok is still talking to Sehun's own mother in low tones. "There'll be more publicity if the two betrothed alpha heirs to KimOh Corp. attend, right? And publicity means more attendees. And more attendees mean more funds for the kids!"

Minseok's mother pauses, staring intently into Sehun's eyes. Sehun shifts a little uncomfortably in his seat. For all of Minseok's mother's forgiving tendencies, sometimes, she looked like she could read Sehun's soul like a book. But soon the scrutiny ends and Minseok's mother smiles, radiant as a sunflower.

"Of course darling. It's for the kids after all."

This is what Sehun repeats to Minseok later, after the family meal. They're in Minseok's car and Minseok's driving them back to the apartment they share in Cheongnamdong. There's a puzzled frown on Minseok's face at the sudden schedule Sehun has signed them up for, but Sehun maintains a hauty expression.

"I told Jongin that I'd meet him that night. We haven't seen each other in-"

"Are you saying" Sehun responds icily. "That Jongin is more important than your mother?"

Minseok's frown deepens. "No, that's not what I'm-"

"Are you saying" Sehun interrupts. "That you don't have time to spare for the poor orphans living in Daesun?"

"No, I-"

"So then, are you saying" Sehun turns to Minseok, "that the poor orphaned children who need our help are less important than Kim Jongin, a man who's financially comfortable enough to have a studio in Hannamdong?"

Minseok sighs. They drive in silence for a few minutes before Minseok says, "It's still a promise."

Sehun snorts, feeling mean and spiteful. "Still selfish" he mutters under his breath.

At the red light, Minseok brakes a little rougher than usual, sharply swinging his head toward Sehun to give him a look of warning. "Watch what you say, Oh Sehun" Minseok bristles.

Sehun turns his face to the window, away from Minseok. "Whatever."

He balls his fists in anger. It is always Kim Jongin _this _or Kim Jongin _that_. Sehun can't help but think that the only reason why he's here with Minseok now is because of his alpha status, because he's the son of the co-chairman. Minseok didn't love Sehun; he only needed him in name. This was only pretend so that Minseok wouldn't get caught with Jongin, the beta ballerino. Vaguely, Sehun wonders if Minseok's parents would have allowed Minseok to be with Jongin if Jongin had been an alpha as well.

"Or maybe...an omega?" Sehun mutters to himself.

"What are you saying? Are you lusting after some omega?" Minseok asks in a lighter tone than before, tapping his shoulder. "Get out. We're here."

Sehun knows that this is Minseok's way of apologizing and saying that he doesn't want to fight. He listens to the familiar sound of the tires squealing on the garage floor as Minseok pulls into park, wondering if he should give in. Sehun opens the door and gets out before he decides, pausing when Minseok doesn't get out right away. When Minseok emerges, Sehun sees a familiar looking coat in Minseok's arm.

"Don't forget your coat" Minseok comments, tossing it to him as they walk to the door leading into their home. "And, Sehun-ah" Minseok sighs. "I know we're fake dating or whatever, but try not to get anyone pregnant yet, huh?" Minseok waggles a brow saucily. "We're still technically supposed to be engaged, remember?"

Sehun flushes, ears turning red as he grits his teeth. '_You've got it all wrong_' he thinks.

For all the praise Minseok's received for being an intellectual and for all the compliments Minseok gets on the daily for being insightful, Minseok can be really stupid at times like this. Because there's something Minseok doesn't know and something Sehun vows never to tell Minseok while they are pretending to date like this.

"I'm beat" Minseok groans, hanging his coat up in the hallway closet. "I'm going to wash up and then go to sleep okay? Sehun-ah, you should do the same."

Before Sehun can answer properly, Minseok's already jogging upstairs to his own room. Sehun's eyes linger on Minseok's retreating figure, pausing where his pants are taut on his ass. Sehun licks his lower lip unconsciously. 

'_You're just eager to call your secret boyfriend_' Sehun thinks accusingly. 

When Minseok's out of view, Sehun sighs, slumping into the soft, microfabric couch in the living room.

"Good night!" Minseok's voice calls out from upstairs. "Don't stay up too late!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah" Sehun grumbles. He's sick and tired of Minseok still treating him like a baby.

"Meet you in our dreams!" Minseok calls out laughingly. It's a saying they've told each other since they were children. It's been a while since Sehun's heard it and Sehun flushes an even deeper red at the multitide of emotions the phrase brings forth.

"Yeah" Sehun sighs, closing his eyes wearily and throwing his head back on the sofa. "See ya."


	2. new blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _sehun/xiumin (+ mark [nct])_  
**g**  
inspired by free! the anime.
> 
> * * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> today's prompt is : "roommates"

Sehun eyes the bright yellow sign welcoming freshmen in front of the dorimitory. The new academic year at SM High hasn't even started before it's already abuzz with rumors. There's talk about a group of the new freshmen that are soon to enter.

Sehun asks Jongin about it as they pile into the cafeteria after practice, detecting some kind of peril to his maknae status, but that turns out to be a mistake because Jongin's not interested in how maknae-like Sehun remains nor does he care about the state of the new students. 

"I heard Yunho sunbae's little brother is attending our school now" Chanyeol tells Baekhyun.

"Really? _Daebak_... is he going to join the swim team?" Baekhyun asks.

Chanyeol shrugs. "No idea."

Sehun, sitting just a few feet away from them, scowls. They're not a good source either. Today had been their last practice and next week will mark the day when Oh Sehun has to move out of his dorm room. More than club recruitment week, Sehun is dreading Moving day because _Moving Day_ means he'll be separated from his hyung and long time crush, Kim Minseok.

"Kyungsoo hyung, is there no way that we'll keep our current roommates?" Sehun whines, hanging onto Kyungsoo's left arm like it's his last hope.

Kyungsoo shrugs Sehun off and adjusts his glasses. Looking down at his clipboard, he shakes his head. "Nope. Oh Sehun, you're assigned to Kim Junmyeon."

Sehun groans. 

From somewhere in the cafeteria, Junmyeon calls out an affronted "Hey!" but Sehun doesn't register it. It's not that he doesn't like Junmyeon hyung. Kim Junmyeon is a good person. But it's one thing to be living with your crush and one thing to move in with just a really nice sunbae - no matter how loaded that sunbae might be. When Sehun staggers back to his usual lunch table, Baekhyun pokes him on the side.

"Yah, yah, yah! I heard you get to bunk with Junmyeon hyung."

"Meh" Sehun answers, burying his head in his arms.

"What's the long face for? He has a no limit credit card, Sehun-ah. That means he can buy you food all the time."

Kyungsoo sighs wistfully. Jongdae almost snorts his orange juice through his nose. "Yeah right, Byun Baekhyun. Like Junmyeon hyung's gonna finance Sehun's oddball appetite all year round."

Baekhyun shrugs, clapping Sehun on the back. "I hear he has a soft spot for big babies like Sehun-ee here."

Normally, that kind of dig would have elicited some sort of response - something like low kicking to the shins or flapping slaps to the vicinity of Baekhyun's smug little face. But Sehun's too depressed to react this time. He thinks of Minseok and his cute little teeth revealing themselves when Minseok grins. He thinks of waking up to Minseok lint-rolling his bed sheets and asking Sehun if he wants him to clean Sehun's bed too. He thinks of how Minseok hyung always saves him the desserts he likes from the dinner runs even when he's trying to make weight and how Minseok hyung makes sure Sehun does his stretches before leaving for the pool together. He thinks of how all of that is going to be gone, gone, _gone_ when Sehun has to move out this year.

"Arghhhh" Sehun groans loudly.

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. "You're just moving down the hall. It's not like you're immigrating."

SM High's swim team is kind of a Big Deal with a captial B and D. Two years ago, the sunbaes had raised the phased out swim team from the ashes and last year, they had won in the relays and freestyle categories during Seoul Regionals. They had been invited to Nationals, but had not been able to make it due to funding issues. This year, they were the rising stars, the dark horses, expected not only to go to Nationals but to come home with medals to make up for last year.

Because of all this, it's not a huge surprise when the growing kids from the local swim club apply for SM High to join the swim team. What Sehun doesn't expect is for Minseok's new roommate to be so cute.

"Hello sunbaes! My name is Mark Lee or Lee Minhyung in Korean. I'm from Canada! But I moved here three years ago. Nice to meet you hyungs!"

The freshman bows, folding his upper body so that his nose nearly bumps into his knees.

"Oh" Minseok remarks with raised brows. "Flexible."

Sehun breathes slowly through his nostrils. Everyone's there in the hallway of the dorm - an impromptu gathering to ogle the freshmen who'll be trying out for swim team this year. Jongdae sideeyes Sehun who is blinking slowly and trying to control himself when Minseok tosses an arm around Mark's neck.

"You're so cute!" Minseok squeals, tugging at Mark's left earlobe.

Sehun staggers a little and Baekhyun has to support him from the small of his back. Jongin walks up to the group, rubbing his eyes and looking sleepy as always.

"What's going on?" Jongin asks, frowning when he sees the stranger that Minseok giving a gentle noogie to.

Sehun, however, doesn't hear anything and cannot answer. Instead, he squeezes his eyelids shut. Because he refuses to believe what he's seeing now. He can't stand seeing Minseok rubbing Mark's chest in that teasing way, like Minseok used to do to Sehun. Even through closed eyes, Sehun starts seeing the edges of his vision turning green.

"Sehun-ah?" comes Jongin's voice.

He feels Jongin's warm fingers on his shoulder and Sehun suddenly feels like crying.

"What's wrong, Sehun-ah?"

Jongin's voice makes everyone in the group fall silent and turn toward the two boys. 'Don't look' Sehun wants to scream. But as the other hyungs come closer, asking Sehun if he's ok, it hurts that Minseok's voice isn't among them.

"Do you feel like you have to puke?" asks Baekhyun. "Because you should say if you're gonna puke."

"Don't you dare vomit on the carpet, Oh Sehun" Kyungsoo says sternly. "Let's get you to the bathroom."

"Stop being so insensitive, Kyungsoo" chastises Chanyeol, but his voice sounds too jubilant for Sehun to believe he means it. "Just because you're the new resident monitor, doesn't mean-"

"What's going on?" Minseok asks belatedly.

Sehun freezes at the sound of Minseok's voice. "It's a secret" Sehun tells him unenthusiastically.

"Sehun's not feeling well" Kyungsoo explains.

Sehun can hear a soft "Oh no" coming from Mark, which makes Sehun scowl all the more.

"Oh Sehun" Minseok's voice sounds closer, but Sehun still hasn't opened his eyes.

Two sets of small hands cup Sehun's cheeks and involuntarily, Sehun lets out a breath he doesn't realize he's been holding in.

"Oh Sehun" Minseok repeats in a steady voice. "Look at me."

When Sehun cracks open one eyelid, he sees the concern etched on Minseok's face. Frown lines full of worry mar Minseok's perfect pale forehead. Minseok's face is too close to Sehun's but Sehun doesn't move a muscle, too mesmerized by Minseok's twinkling irises.

"Do you feel sick?" Minseok whispers. "Do you need to lie down?"

And Sehun knows why Minseok's acting like Sehun's fragile. In the privacy of their shared room, Sehun's opened up about his anxiety and has been honest about his fears more than once. Though Minseok was a crush, to Sehun, Minseok is also a confidante and best friend in a way different than Sehun is with Jongin.

"I'm-" Sehun opens his mouth, but instead of finishing his sentence, he sighs.

"Give him some space guys" Minseok tells the others in a commanding voice. "Breathe, Sehun-ah" Minseok tells Sehun, softer than before.

"You're the one with his face pressed up against Sehun's" Junmyeon points out in a neutral voice.

But Minseok ignores Junmyeon's smart aleck comment. Instead, Minseok carefully strokes Sehun's face.

"Our maknae Sehun-ee" Minseok coos. "Don't be sick okay? You know I worry about you."

At the word '_maknae_', Sehun feels a tiny weight lifting from his chest. He wants to sneak a peek at Mark, but his line of sight is filled with Minseok's face. Sehun can practically hear the rolling of eyes from the other hyungs while Jongin pouts audibly.

"Hyung, my tummy hurts too" Jongin whines, tugging on Minseok's sleeve.

Suddenly, the warmth of Minseok's hands leave Sehun's face and Minseok's eyes are turned to Jongin.

"Aw, is our little Jongin-ee needing a tum-tum rub?" Minseok asks in a sickeningly mushy voice.

Jongin nods. But before Jongin can say anything else, Baekhyun is hanging off Minseok's back.

"Hyung! I got a paper cut right here! Kiss my boo-boo?" Baekhyun complains, pointing to the tip of his right pointer finger.

"Hyunnie got a boo-boo?" Minseok asks in that same babbling voice.

But Minseok is smiling now, teasing in a way that has Sehun frowning. 

"Hyung~" Jongdae calls out, laughing and joining in on the joke.

"Hyung! Hyung!" Chanyeol adds, forcing everyone into a group hug.

Kyungsoo sighs while Junmyeon bunches his shoulders and widens his eyes, pretending to be cute.

"Ming Seokee hyung-ah!" Junmyeon calls out in a baby voice.

Minseok's grinning face falls into an icy glare. "Don't you dare Kim Junmyeon."

And while Sehun's still scowling and glaring daggers at the rest of the swim team, Minseok's back to Mark, smiling at the younger boy and apologizing. Mark's awkward smile twitches off the corner of his lips as his eyes widen, looking down at Minseok's face.

"It's okay, sunbae" Mark's telling Minseok with a pink blush spreading on Mark's face.

Sehun's knuckles go white from making tight fists at his sides. The other hyungs are snickering behind Minseok's back and Jongin's still pouting. But Sehun really can't handle it anymore.

"Let's go, Kim Jongin" Sehun says, grabbing Jongin's arm and turning them around.

He doesn't need Minseok anymore if this is how it's going to be every time a new freshman comes into Minseok's life. He decides he'd rather be the one leaving rather than the one left behind.

"Aw, but I wanted to hang out with Minseok hyung today" Jongin complains as he's dragged down the hall.

"Shut up" Sehun growls.

"I mean, this is his last year with us and I'm gonna-"

Sehun stops in his tracks, jerking Jongin's arm. His mind goes blank at Jongin's words, the ugly green tint to his periphery blending into nothingness.

"What?"

"Did you forget?" Jongin asks. And Sehun hates how there's a tinge of amusement in Jongin's voice. "This is Minseok hyung's last year of high school. Next year he's gonna-"

"Hyung!" Sehun screams, abandoning Jongin and running back the way he had come from. "Minseok hyung!"

This isn't a time for being prideful, Sehun decides quickly. He was going to stick to Minseok like glue this year, he concludes, if it's the last thing he does. He eyes Mark who's still looking down at Minseok like he's a fairy prince come alive from a book. Sehun lets out an injured sniff, moving to hang on Minseok's back like a koala. He just had to oust this newbie, who was vying for Minseok hyung's affections and trying to replace him of all people.

"-and Sehun's specialty is the butterfly" Minseok's explaining to Mark. 

"Oh cool" Mark comments, eyes lighting up. "That's my favorite stroke too!"

Sehun stiffens, smile hardening on his face as Mark's eyes turn to his. So this is how this kid wanted to play. '_Game on_' Sehun thinks.

Aloud, he says, "What a coincidence. Minseok hyung is mine."

Mark's eyes turn wide and Minseok frowns, turning his head to look at Sehun.

"My roommate" Sehun corrects himself, smiling like the cat who ate the canary. "He was my roommate last year and he'll be mine this year too. Yours is Kim Junmyeon over there. He likes the breaststroke. You'll like him. He's famous for always buying hoobaes food."

"Oh" Mark says in a confused voice, eyes flickering to Minseok's then back to Sehun. "I thought-"

Junmyeon sputters in the background and Sehun can see Kyungsoo glowering at him from a distance, shaking his head.

"Oh Sehun" Minseok's voice contains a wanring.

"It's gonna be great" Sehun continues, ignoring everyone else and grinning at Mark's perplexed face. "Oh and hope you make the team. You know that the decision for new members has to be unanimous, right?"


	3. zig zag

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> for all my fellow kaixiu lovers <3
> 
> _kai/xiumin (+ d.o.)_  
**g**  
college au

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> today's prompt: mutual pining

Jongin hasn't seen Minseok in years, not since middle school. But the face of the older man seems ever the same -- pale porcelain skin and those cat-like eyes, ever vigilant. Jongin blinks slowly as he watches Minseok's face light up and meld with the face from Jongin's memories.

"It's been so long! Look how big you are!" Minseok exclaims, holding Jongin's hands and spreading his arms out wide as if to look at him. Jongin can feel himself blushing.

Jongin bends his head down, looking at his feet and curling into himself. Suddenly, he seems like a super conspicuous giant -- a blundering and gawkish pole next to his tiny perfect hyung. But soon, Minseok's fingers are interlacing with his and Minseok's hands are jiggling his arms up and down like an excited little kid.

"I'm so happy you go to this school! I was so shocked when you told me!" Minseok gushes.

Jongin doesn't tell Minseok that one of the main reasons he's applied to this university is because of Minseok. Instead, he racks his brain to say something intelligent, something other than stupidly remarking about the nice weather or saying that it's really _really _good to see Minseok for the umpteenth time. Someone next to Jongin clears their throat and belatedly, Jongin realizes that Kyungsoo is still standing next to him.

"Ah, sorry! Hyung, this is Do Kyungsoo. My best friend. He'll be attending this school too." Jongin turns to Kyungsoo, who eyes Minseok curiously. "And this is Kim Minseok hyung. We were neighbors as children, but I moved away before I graduated middle school. We've been keeping in touch through emails and texts, but this is the first time we've seen each other in person since then."

Minseok nods. "We were never able to meet up" Minseok explains to Kyungsoo, who's listening intently with wide curious eyes. "It was either I was in Seoul or Jongin was in Busan. Or I was in Guri and Jongin was in Daegu. You know how he travels for his ballet."

Kyungsoo nods and eyes Jongin knowingly. Jongin looks away, shifting from one foot to the other but his eyes come back to Minseok before he knows it. Minseok's eyes are shining like two well oiled morsels of rice cake as he glances down at the books in Kyungsoo's arms. It almost seems like Minseok is more interested in Kyungsoo than in Jongin.

"Oh, are you taking 'A History of Modern Rock' with Dr. Hwang?" Minseok asks excitedly, pointing to one of Kyungsoo's books. "That's one of the required textbooks."

Kyungsoo looks surprised and caught off guard, but soon he breaks out into a smile. "Yes! Tuesdays at 9am?"

Minseok nods vigorously and the two start an animated conversation about the course. They speak about how Minseok's taking the same class and _oh! we should sit together and work on assignments together and did you know-_. In the midst of all this, Jongin feels himself tossed aside, wondering how this heartfelt reunion between Minseok and Jongin has turned into bonding time between Minseok and _Kyungsoo_. Jongin pouts a little, unable to mask the way his lower lip juts out ever so slightly.

"Ah, I'm sorry Jongin-ah" Minseok finally says. "You must be hungry, right? Kyungsoo too? Let's go over to the cafeteria" Minseok says, gesturing with his hand and walking ahead with his chest puffed up. "This sunbae will buy you a delicious meal."

It's definitely not bad being enrolled in the same school as Minseok is. But it's definitely not as wonderful as Jongin had expected it to be. With Minseok being a year ahead of him, Jongin isn't able to see Minseok as much as he'd initially hoped. Not only do their schedules conflict, but a lot of the time spent hanging out with Minseok is _shared time _with Kyungsoo because the two are taking a major core class together.

When Jongin had introduced Minseok to Kyungsoo, he definitely hadn't expected this. Trying not to let an ugly jealous monster to rear it's head at how quickly Kyungsoo and Minseok become friends, Jongin finds himself taking the backseat instead of doing what he really wants to do - catch up with Minseok and reminisce about old times. 

'_Ah, if only I took a class with Minseok hyung too_' Jongin thinks.

But, for now, he figures a happy Minseok means he is happy too. So he smiles once more with feeling and does his best to hold on for a bit longer.

+

Minseok has heard a lot about Kyungsoo from Jongin himself. In the emails they'd exchanged, Jongin often mentions a shorter and shy best friend who clicks with Jongin right away. Minseok can read between the lines and he sees that Jongin is fond of Kyungsoo. Now, having met Kyungsoo in the flesh, Minseok can see that Kyungsoo too is fond of the younger boy and though he doesn't say it outright, Minseok is starting to suspect that Kyungsoo likes Jongin as more than _just _a friend. 

Having this knowledge doesn't make Minseok pursue the full truth. Instead, Minseok shies away from the subject; he doesn't pry. Kyungsoo's still too much of a stranger for Minseok to ask outright, even if he wanted to. 

Minseok had been shocked to say the least, when they had met again on campus. Jongin has turned into a tall, fine man with stunning proportions. He's much different from the shorter, painfully shy boy who'd followed him around the neighborhood as a child. At first, Minseok's alarmed by the emotions ignited by the older and more mature Jongin, but soon Minseok learns to repress them, placing them on the backburner for a better future for Jongin. If things are going so well with Kyungsoo, Minseok figures it's only right for him to be the one who bows out.

'_Not that I had a chance in the first place_', Minseok thinks a little bitterly.

Kyungsoo is not only adorable, but well read and an interesting conversationalist. Minseok finds himself talking with Kyungsoo about things ranging from problematic statistics in journal articles to proper care of household succulents. He's delighted to learn that Kyungsoo likes the same kind of music that Minseok likes. And when Kyungsoo quietly sings a verse of Park Hyo Shin's "Snow Flower" for Minseok, Minseok becomes a fan of his voice as well. Handsome, smart, with a perfect voice - Kyungsoo seems like the perfect match for Jongin.

"Kyungsoo is such a good kid" he tells Jongin when they're alone together. "He's a bright kid. He's going places. I'm glad he's by your side."

Jongin nods thoughtfully. But before Jongin can open his mouth to verbalize his agreement, Minseok keeps on talking. He keeps talking, not because he finds it easy to do so, but because he doesn't want to hear Jongin's voice. For some reason, Minseok finds himself unable to hear Kyungsoo's praises coming from Jongin's lips. _For some reason_, Minseok finds it hard to hear that Jongin too likes Kyungsoo, as Kyungsoo does him. 

_'Not yet_' Minseok tells himself. '_I can't handle it just yet but-_'

He just wants to wait until he gets over his little crush.

'_Soon_' he finds himself thinking. '_Soon_.'

+

Jongin has always thought of Minseok as the cool hyung - a hyung who was so disciplined and so steadfast in his beliefs that it was hard not to look up to him. Jongin remembers how Minseok had stuck up to bullies, how Minseok had lost all that weight to play soccer, gritting his teeth from the exertion of it all. It was remembering Minseok's resolve and determination that makes Jongin push himself to become a better dancer. It's having Minseok as a role model that keeps Jongin from giving up his feelings - no matter how much it seems like the older man is falling for Do Kyungsoo.

It's to get closer to Minseok that Jongin starts to frequent the Cashew Cafe right across the street from campus. He knows it's one of Minseok's favorite coffee haunts. And today, before class, Jongin finds himself asking Minseok if he can tag along to the Cafe with him.

"Of course" Minseok tells him, smiling softly.

Jongin is happy that he's caught Minseok this early in the morning, before Kyungsoo has a chance to get to campus. Sleepy, but smug, Jongin can't supress the grin that alights his face. Once they enter the Cafe, Jongin orders two lattes - one takeout for Kyungsoo and one for himself. He opens his mouth again to order for Minseok, but he realizes with a frown that he's not sure what Minseok's go-to drink is. 

"Hyung, order something?" Jongin asks, nodding over to the cashier. "My tre-"

But Minseok's already holding out a bank card, saying, "And one small iced Americano please. I'll pay for all three."

Jongin grimaces, feeling a little lost as he watches the employee hand Minseok a reciept with his card back.

"I was going to treat you this time" Jongin complains, burying his nose into the collar of the hoodie he has on.

Minseok smiles at him, ruffling his hair. "Still sleepy?" Minseok asks. "Of course, I'm going to treat. I'm your sunbae, after all."

And Jongin wants to protest, wants to say something about how he's been getting up super early just to do this small thing for Minseok. He wants to boast about how he's not a little kid anymore, but an adult that drinks coffee, albeit doused with milk. But Minseok's looking up at the menu board with a musing expression on his face.

"So Kyungsoo likes lattes, does he?" Minseok mutters. "That's cute."

Jongin's heart chills like the drink in Minseok's cup. A lump forms in his throat and when the drinks are ready, all he can manage is a small, choked "Thank you hyung" as they walk out of the Cafe.

+

The days get chillier as the semester flies by. Minseok's more than exhausted from studying for finals, but there's one thing he's looking forward to.

"You're going to Jongin's recital at the end of the term, right?" Minseok asks Kyungsoo after class.

Kyungsoo nods. Kyungsoo too has darker circles than usual and his glasses seem to sag on the bridge of his nose.

"You're going too, right Hyung?" Kyungsoo asks, pushing his glasses up. "We can go together. I don't know anyone else that's going."

Minseok smiles, wrapping an arm ground Kyungsoo's shoulders. 

"Of course" Minseok remarks. "Who else would I go with?"

When Jongin's recital day rolls around, Minseok's a little more than sleep deprived. He feels delirious and perhaps it'd be wiser to take a day to catch up on sleep and relieve some stress. But the thought of seeing Jongin in the flesh, dancing again, gives Minseok goosebumps. He tries to dial down his giddiness, but ends up spending way too much brain power on picking out what he's going to wear. And before Minseok goes to pick up Kyungsoo at his apartment, Minseok finds himself stopping at the florist to purchase a large bouquet of calla lillies.

"These are beautiful, hyung" Kyungsoo tells him, staring at the tall florals with awe. "They must have been expensive."

Minseok shrugs with an awkward grin, taking out one flower to hand to Kyungsoo as an apology for being late. Minseok's juggling a part-time job on top of maintaining his scholarship, so he really shouldn't be blowing money on things like this. But.. the tall and elegant white blossoms remind Minseok of Jongin so much that he can't resist, smiling at the beautiful arrangement.

Because Kyungsoo's apartment is walking distance from campus, they travel on foot for the rest of the way. Minseok's heart rate gets quicker with each expectant step. But once they're at the bottom of the granite stairs that lead to the recital hall, Minseok stops short. A melancholy thought precipitates in his head and he looks down at the bouquet with a forlorn expression.

"Hyung?" Kyungsoo asks worryingly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing" Minseok says automatically, plastering on a smile. "It's just-" Minseok shoves the bouquet into Kyungsoo's arms. "You should give these to him afterwards."

He realizes that he's been too full of himself tonight, his excitement getting the better of him.

When Kyungsoo frowns in confusion, Minseok gives him a wry grin and adds, "He'll like it better coming from you."

  
  



	4. summer break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i honestly don't know what this is. there's no plot. it's just... nothing. OTL.  
also i'm sorry, i didn't have time to edit it so there may be typos. will come back to edit soon~
> 
> _gen (feat. kim bros)_  
**g**  
inspired by "the power of music" 20 sec teaser. "eh eh eyy"  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> today's prompt is: slice of life

"It's going to be too loud" Junmyeon complains when Jongdae informs them that his friends are coming over.

"Kyungsoo's not loud" Jongdae points out as he rummages in the pantry for chips. 

"You know I'm not talking about Kyungsoo" Junmyeon glares. "Baekhyun and Chanyeol are loud enough for all of us combined."

"Well" Minseok muses. "It is the first day of summer break. Give the kids a chance."

Junmyeon rolls his eyes, finishing up the last of his avocado toast. "Whatever, I'm staying in my room."

Jongdae watches with a pout as his second oldest brother closes his bedroom door behind him. "So cold" Jongdae murmurs. 

Taking out a bowl for the chips, Minseok chuckles. "Don't worry. You know he'll come crawling once the party gets started."

Jongdae shrugs as he turns his attention to the cabinet in the living room. "Where are my games?" he asks Minseok.

Minseok turns off the sink's faucet, wiping his hands on the kitchen towel before coming up behind Jongdae. He pulls out a box from the shelf and hands it to Jongdae who grimaces at the sight of the old game.

"Not Jenga, hyung" Jongdae whines. "That's such a boring game. I _mean_, where are my _video _games."

Minseok scrunches his nose, holding the box of Jenga blocks protectively to his chest. "Try Jongin's room" he suggests.

When Jongdae disappears down the hall, Minseok looks down at the blocks. At least, _he_ liked this game - old or not.

After washing the rest of the carrot sticks, Minseok arranges the veggies in a circle and places the dip right in the center of the platter. He surveys his work with a proud little grin before the doorbell rings. There's a loud clatter as Jongdae races from Jongin's room with an arm full of games for their video game console.

"I'll get it!" Jongdae shouts, already hyper at the thought of hanging out with his friends.

The front door opens and suddenly, there's a cacophony of chatter. From the kitchen, Minseok lets out a little sigh. '_So it begins._'

Surprisingly, after they polish off the vegetables at Minseok's insistence, no one goes for the video games. Instead, Kyungsoo starts to set up the Jenga blocks with Baekhyun on the low wooden table in front of their television set. They start to play something called Girl Group Jenga when Jongin emerges from his room, hair sticking up every which way and eyes droopy with sleep.

"Have a nice nap?" Minseok asks, patting Jongin's bottom. "Did the noise wake you?"

Jongin nods, but doesn't seem to mind much. He grabs a stray carrot stick and munches on it as he surveys the situation in the living room. 

"Hyung" Jongin calls Minseok.

"Hmm?"

"I want some chocolate milk."

Minseok is still washing the platter and bowl, so he tells Jongin to go sit by Jongdae and his friends. "I'll bring it to you. Ask the other hyungs if they want anything to drink too."

Jongin nods and Minseok smiles soflty.

Once everything is placed on the drying rack, Minseok gets the milk and chocolate powder from the fridge.

"Hyung!" Jongdae shouts. "I want an orange fizzy drink!"

"Me too!" yells Baekhyun, pausing from extracting a Jenga block.

Minseok's too distracted by the loud voices to hear Jongin pad up behind him again.

"Minseok-ee hyung, Kyungsoo hyung wants water and Chanyeol hyung wants chocolate milk too, but warm." Jongin comes up behind Minseok, grabbing his waist and clinging, still unable to shake the sleep from his system.

"Alright" Minseok says aloud. "Go take some water to Kyungsoo for me, will you?" he asks Jongin. "And Kim Jongdae, you come over here and get the soda yourself!"

There's a loud whining noise with Jongdae complaining about how he's trying to connect the video game console because no one is helping. But in a few minutes, he comes to the kitchen anyway with a pouty face. Procuring two clear glasses for Baekhyun and himself, he looks at the concoction Minseok is making and crumples his face in disgust.

"Hyung, are you adding powdered vitamins in there?" Jongdae asks in a scandalized voice. "Vitamins and chocolate? Gross!"

Minseok gives him a look, shushing him. "It's good for the body. Besides, they won't be able to taste it anyway." He screws the top back on the vitamin powder jar and hurriedly puts it back into the cupboard.

As Jongdae takes the orange soda bottle back into the living room, he calls out to Jongin. "Yah, your chocolate milk is ready!"

There's a snickering sound that follows and Minseok shoots Jongdae a warning look that Jongin, luckily, doesn't notice. Coming back into the kitchen, Jongin sits down at the small round kitchen table, sipping his chocolate milk through a plastic bendy straw. He watches as Minseok warms the milk for Chanyeol's drink and smacks his lips after the first sip of his drink.

"Ah... so refreshing!" he exclaims, smiling.

Minseok chuckles, glad that his secret hasn't been exposed to the maknae just yet. 

"Ah why!" a cry comes from the living room. "I said Super Junior, didn't I?" Baekhyun shouts indignantly.

"That's not a girl group" comes Kyungsoo serene voice. "Come here. Punishment time."

There's a loud _smack_! and Baekhyun pouts as a spot on his forehead turns bright red. Jongin chuckles from the kitchen table, watching the game from afar. Jongdae too is cackling and Chanyeol is rolling on the floor clutching his stomach.

"Ah!" Baekhyun shouts. "I'm not playing!"

"You lost anyway, idiot" Kyungsoo tells him, gathering the scattered blocks. "Chanyeol-ah, you wanna play again?"

"Why don't you go play with them?" Minseok asks Jongin. "Or why don't you call your friends too?"

"Is that alright?" Jongin asks, eyes wide and sparkling at the idea. "Won't it be too loud?"

Minseok laughs. "Might as well" he shrugs. "I suspect we're going to have a loud day anyway."

Jongin finishes the last of his drink and jumps up, hugging Minseok lightly. "Thanks hyung! I'm gonna go call Sehun-ee."

Disappearing back into his room to look for his phone, Jongin leaves the kitchen. Chanyeol's milk is warmed now, so Minseok carefully pours it into a mug and mixes in the powdered chocolate and vitamin mixture. Just as he's about to bring it to Chanyeol in the living room, Minseok sees Junmyeon's door fly open. Junmyeon walks out, scowl on his face and earphones danging from his neck. 

"You. Guys. Are. So. Loud!!" Junmyeon screams. There's a thick hard cover book in his hand and he raises it over his head as if he's going to throw it in his frustration, but the tome never leaves his hands.

The boys look stricken for a split second, before they go back to their respective antics. They're used to this; they've been here before. Minseok snickers under a hand and looks up at Junmyeon after placing Chanyeol's drink carefully in front of him.

"Junmyeon-ah, you want me to make you some chocolate milk too?"

About a half hour later, Sehun comes in bearing a bag of oranges.

"From my mom" Sehun says solemnly, bowing to Junmyeon and Minseok. "She says it's not polite to go to someone's house without a gift."

Junmyeon looks pointedly at Jongdae's friends, but no one bats an eyelash. Instead, they're all too immersed in the Jenga game. Minseok has joined in now and though Junmyeon's still pretending to read his book, he hasn't left the vicinity of the living room since emerging from his bedroom.

Jongdae and Jongin are battling it out through the video game console. And when Jongin raises a long leg to distract Jongdae from making a particularly tough leap, Sehun lets out a low guffaw.

"Hurry up and die!" Jongin yells, still pushing at Jongdae's leg with his own. "I wanna play with Sehun-ee."

"You brat!" Jongdae shouts back. "How dare you abandon your own brother for a friend!"

"Best friend!" Sehun screams.

Jongin bursts into a gale of laughter, leaning back and letting his head fall against Minseok's thigh. Minseok doesn't notice because it's his turn on the Jenga blocks. The tiny tip of his tongue pokes out as he concentrates.

"Bolivia" Minseok says as he slides a block out and places it on top. 

They're playing Around the World Jenga now with everyone having to call out a country before placing a block on top. Baekhyun's already spinning the globe on the book shelf, trying to find some obscure countries to stump everyone.

"Chile" Kyungsoo recites.

"Stop encroaching on my continent" Minseok jokes, making Kyungsoo grin.

Chanyeol's pouting because he had run out after naming all the Asian countries, calling "Texas!" as a last resort.

"Texas _should _be it's own country" he keeps mumbling. "And I didn't know _cheating _was allowed" he says, staring accusingly at Baekhyun from above his glasses.

"Yah" Baekhyun snorts. "Is it _my _fault that you don't know how to use your environment as a resource? I saw this globe the first time we visited Jongdae's house."

In the end, Baekhyun ends up losing by shouting, "Yugoslavia!" while Kyungsoo lets out a belly laugh and pushes him aside.

"You're living in the past!" Chanyeol chortles.

"Move and let the big boys play now" Kyungsoo commands, the concentration in his eyes intensifying. 

Minseok smirks, but pats Baekhyun on the hand. 

"Minseok hyung still likes me" Baekhyun sniffs.

But Jongdae, having been beaten by Jongin and replaced by Sehun at the controller, scoffs. "Our Minseok hyung only likes smart people! Get out of here!"

Baekhyun sulks and pointedly goes over to Sehun, watching the video game's progress over his shoulder. "Good job, Sehun-ah!" he yells loudly. "You're so good at this! Kill him! Kill Jongin-ee!"

Chanyeol finishes his warm chocolate milk and stands to put the mug into the sink. Minseok looks up, telling him to just let it soak in the sink. Suddenly, Baekhyun gets a glint in his eye and tells Sehun and Jongin that the loser has to do the night's dishes. The game gets a bit more heated then and they keep going up the levels as even Junmyeon sits down to watch.

Kyungsoo and Minseok call it a draw when they run out of blocks, just in time to see Jongin lose at one of the last stages in the game.

"Ohhh!" Chanyeol yells in chagrin. "So close!"

Baekhyun, who had been rooting for Sehun, jumps in the air, shouting as if it's his win and not Sehun's. Jongin however, still smiles only pausing to let out a little whine into Minseok's lap. He throws an arm around Sehun's shoulder, pressing his forehead to Sehun's ear.

"You've been practicing without me, haven't you?" he jokes.

"Hyung..." Jongdae's voice cuts through the noise and Minseok turns to look at Jongdae who's making a crying face and rubbing his stomach. "I'm hungry."

Kyungsoo nods, patting his own belly with a faraway look. "I'm hungry too."

After that, everyone starts chiming in and Minseok realizes that he too is hungry.

"Wanna order something?" Minseok asks. "Pizza? Chicken?"

"Can we have both?" Jongdae does this thing where it seems like his eyebrows elongate and slide downward. It's a face Minseok finds it hard to resist.

"Why not" Minseok says, throwing his arms up. "Let's have a feast!"

They all shout a little hurrah while Junmyeon quickly pulls out his phone to pick the menu. It takes all of fifteen minutes to finally decide on what they're going to order. And while they're waiting for the delivery, Sehun looks through the DVD collection with Jongin.

"Let's watch 'The Princess Bride'" Sehun suggests.

"No, we already watched that last week" Jongin complains.

"How about 'The Shining'?" Baekhyun suggests, brows waggling as he teases.

Sehun throws a sofa cushion at Baekhyun's face.

Minseok gets up after putting the Jenga blocks back into the box. He starts going toward the kitchen, but Chanyeol grabs his arm.

"Where are you going, hyung?" he asks, wide-eyed.

"I was just-"

"Kim Jongin has to do the dishes, remember?"

"Ah..." Minseok snorts and looks at his youngest brother. "I almost forgot."

"Can't I do it after-" Jongin's speaking when the door bell rings, causing his face to break out into a grin. "Chicken!" he yells, racing toward the door.

"Pizza!" Baekhyun shouts, scrambling up from the floor where he's been doing foot wrestling with Jongdae.

"Saved by the bell" Minseok remarks, amused.

Jongin, Baekhyun, and Jongdae fetch all the boxes of food, bringing them inside. The boys work together setting the table in front of the television while Sehun turns on 'The Matrix' all on his own. 

"I didn't know this was a dictatorship" Baekhyun complains.

But Sehun shrugs. "For the greater good" he replies. "And Keanu."

"So we're pretending to be utilitarian then?" Baekhyun deadpans, but no one else complains as they start eating.

Minseok's the last one remaining at the front door, paying the delivery man, bowing, then locking the door behind him. But before he turns back into the living room, something catches his eye. There are four plump backpacks of various shapes and sizes lined up along the wall near the foyer.

"What are these bags?" Minseok asks aloud. "When did these get here?"

"Ah..." Jongdae says with his mouthful of pizza. "Those are-"

"Sleepover bags!" Baekhyun yells, just as Chanyeol also says, "For the sleepover!"

"What?!" Junmyeon shrieks, shocked and confused. "What do you mean sleepover?"

"I brought my overnight bag as well" Sehun replies calmly. "My mom said to tell you thank you for having me over."

When Minseok just stares, blinking through the shock, there are four cheshire cat like smiles beaming up at him. '_Ah..._' Minseok finally realizes. '_It's going to be a long summer break_.' After all, summer has just started.


	5. shining shining just like a diamond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ***for @minxin_g who pines for xiukai with me ♡
> 
> _jongin/minseok_  
**pg**  
nameverse au

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> today's prompt is: soulmates

For 4 years already, Minseok has lived as a No Name. Usually looked down on with pity, No Names were rare, only being diagnosed after a long period post-puberty without a mark on the body. But Minseok doesn't really mind. It's hard to miss something you never had.

In fact, these days, it's difficult to differentiate a No Name from a Name Holder due to the rise in popularity of tattoos. And though a true Name mark looks distinct from a tattoo, it's enough to mask it from the general public - like hiding a single diamond in a pile of cubic zirconias. This is one reason why his friends and family find it odd that Minseok has kept himself "clean". Not an inch of his skin is covered with ink and his skin is so pale that people sometimes stare when he wears something revealing in public. 

Minseok doesn't dare admit to anyone that he keeps himself pristine in hopes of one day finding the name of his soulmate clearly demarcated on his flesh. In this way, Minseok is a bit of a closet romanticist. And though he's waiting for the day when reality all comes crashing down on him, for now, he doesn't quite know how to give up the dream of discovering his very own Name. 

When others ask about his mark or give him sympathy after learning the truth, Minseok always shakes his head.

"I don't mind" he tells them. "In fact, sometimes I think it's scary how a Name can brainwash you to fall in love with a complete stranger."

"But, isn't that how it starts?" Jongdae had argued. "You're always strangers at first, but then you grow to love someone that you _know _is going to love you back. I think it's true even before having a Name."

Minseok hadn't had a good comeback for that one. Jongdae had always been a smart kid. And in reality, Minseok's heart beats just imagining that someone out there could be the perfect person for him.

It's not like he's without love, however. He still has his friends and family. And though Minseok lives a relatively quiet life, still commuting from home to school and back again with rarely any deviation, there's a familiar group of friends that put some variety in his life. 

For starters, there's Jongdae, who has been like a younger sibling to him since growing up in the same neighborhood. Still living in the house next door and occupying the room with the window directly across from Minseok's, Jongdae has been a constant in his life since the age of six. And when a name starting with the ㅂ character had started to arise on the left side of Jongdae's ribs, Minseok had been the first one to be excited for him.

And then there's Kyungsoo, a serious boy who had moved into the house across the street at the age of fourteen. Minseok had always had a soft spot for Kyungsoo ever since Kyungsoo had come running to him, eyes wide and scared at the pain his Name had caused him. Minseok had been the one to reassure him.

"It's normal, I promise" Minseok had told Kyungsoo. "I've been told that the pain is a perfectly normal thing when you start getting your Name, Kyungsoo-yah."

There was also the sleepy kid down the street who was always losing things. Every time Jongin visited Minseok's house, one thing or another was always left behind. Even yesterday, when Jongin had come over to borrow an English to Korean dictionary, Jongin had somehow left his socks behind - a pair of blue bear patterned ones that looked too small for the growing boy.

Then there are his friends from college - Junmyeon and Yixing - who Minseok had both met during orientation, only to find that they lived in a apartment complex one street down from Minseok's place.

They're all at an age when their Names are starting to appear or grow, so it's no wonder that when they meet, the conversation steers to the topic. Only Jongdae and Kyungsoo know that Minseok is a No Name and though they both look a little apologetic when the subject comes up, Minseok waves their worry away. Just because he doesn't have a Name doesn't mean Minseok isn't just as curious.

"I heard the mark becomes excruciatingly painful" Kyungsoo says worriedly. "More so than when it first appears. Do you think that's true?"

"After my Name finished growing, it's been pretty quiet" Junmyeon tells him. "It just feels like regular skin."

"But I've heard it's different when you meet the owner of the Name" Yixing insists. "Like, it should tingle."

"I heard it's like a magnet and it draws you closer to the other person" Jongdae whispers. "But that's probably an exaggeration, right?"

Jongin, the youngest of the bunch, scrunches his nose in thought, fingers stroking above his collarbone at where his Name mark rests. "I think it should be different for everyone" he muses in a low voice. "Just like falling in love is a different experience for each person."

There's a beat of silence before the boys yell out in awe, clapping Jongin on the back. "Our little Jongin-ee has grown up, huh?" Kyungsoo laughs. 

Jongin flushes, looking down at his hands in his lap. "It's just what I think" he says quietly.

"Jongin-ah, isn't your Name painful?" Junmyeon asks worriedly. "I remember when I was your age, mine felt like it was swollen all the time."

Jongin shakes his head. "No, not that much" he shrugs. "All I can see is what looks like a ㄱ."

"Nearly everything looks like a ㄱ at the beginning stages though" Junmyeon remarks.

"I've heard the pain is different for some people" Yixing interjects. "The growing pains aren't... ah, what's the word? They aren't the same _quality _for everyone."

"Mine was like little bursts of electricity shooting into my ribcage" Jongdae comments, cringing from the memory.

"My first character felt like someone was carving my skin with a blunt knife. It got better after that first one though." Kyungsoo gives a meaningful look to Minseok, who rubs soothing circles onto Kyungsoo's back.

"Mine" says Yixing. "Was like a white hot heat at first, but then as it got more detailed, it was soothing. Felt almost like a menthol rub."

Junmyeon rubs his neck, where his own Name is. "I felt like my neck was swollen all the time. Like all the fluids in my body were rushing up there to suppress the heat from the mark."

"And I-" Jongin starts to say. Everyone looks at him expectantly. "Well, I have to go and do my homework now. Sorry hyungs."

Even though Jongin's the first to get up, he's actually the last to leave Minseok's house.

"Sorry for always hanging out at your place, hyung" Jongin says at the door. "I'll remember to bring some snacks next time."

Minseok laughs. "It's not anything new. My house has always been the midpoint between all of us. Besides, my parents are rarely home, you know that."

"Still..." Jongin puts on his shoes slowly as if he has something more to say. But in the end, when he finally says goodbye, Jongin just smiles, leaving with nothing but a lingering look.

It's only after the door closes that Minseok spies Jongin's scarf, lying forgotten on the back of the couch.

Other than with his close friends, there's not really a lot of instances where the subject of Names comes up. Most people just assume Minseok's Name is hidden somewhere under his clothes. Talking about your Name mark is not quite taboo, but it is similar to discussing your awkward journey through puberty or your first time having sex. It's a personal topic so when the subject comes up and Minseok choses to bow out of the conversation, most chalk it up to Minseok being shy. More often than not, Minseok finds it easy to hide his bittersweet smile.

Today is one of those melancholy days where it's hard to be optimistic. The weather is gloomy without proper rain and one of the girls in Minseok's class announces publically that she's found her soulmate - someone who bears her Name. It's not quite jealousy, Minseok thinks. But the pretty way the girl blushes and the shy, but pleased smile lighting up her face, really drive in the fact that Minseok will never look like that - not as a No Name.

Before going back home, Minseok stops at the park. Though the sun is setting, Minseok just wants to be alone in silence, doesn't want to risk being approached in a place where everyone knows he can be found. He carefully sits on a tree stump in one corner of the park under a wide spread of foilage from a expansive neighboring tree. He watches as the colors of the sunset paint the sky a glowing orange, then a flamingo pink, finally blending into a shade of purple that reminds him of Korean grapes. He sighs and remembers how the girl in class today had shone bright like a gem, making her stand out of in the classroom.

"Hyung" comes a voice from behind him.

Minseok startles, spinning around in his seat. He finds Jongin standing there, looking a little lost and sad - just like Minseok's feeling.

"Coming back from school?" Minseok asks, getting up from the tree stump and walking closer to the younger boy. He tries to act like everything's fine, but knows he's failing because it's hard to arrange his face naturally.

Jongin nods and when they're not a foot apart, Minseok notices just how tall Jongin is - almost as if he's growing an inch a day.

"You've grown so much" Minseok says smiling easily now, reaching up to pat Jongin's head.

Carding his fingers through Jongin's hair slowly, Minseok stifles a sigh. He is in no position to console the boy, whatever his problem. So instead, Minseok chooses silence. It's when he's softly stroking Jongin's head for the third time that Minseok suddenly feels an icy cold pain running down the middle of his back, as if splitting him in two. It's almost as if he's pulled a muscle, the way he freezes, but the pain is a hundred fold and before Minseok has time to react, Jongin is suddenly crying.

"Hyung" Jongin cries, voice almost pleading. "What should I do?"

Even through his excruciating pain, Minseok wants to comfort the kid. Jongin is tall and older than he was before, yes, but Jongin's still that shy child in Minseok's eyes.

"What should I do?" Jongin repeats. "I think- I think I'm falling in love with you. Kyungsoo hyung told- He told me that you're a No Name." 

Minseok's vision wavers. The icy hot pain that had been there just moments before, envelops his whole body and it feels like he's sitting in a fire so hot that it's a freezing and searing pain. He doesn't even have the leisure to be upset at the fact that Kyungsoo has blown his cover as a No Name. Minseok tries his best to hold onto his consciousness, fearing that fainting in front of Jongin would make the kid panic even more. As he's concentrating on staying cognizant, Minseok focuses on the smattering of freckles above Jongin's collarbones. Quite abruptly, they don't look like freckles anymore. Minseok's eyes widen as Jongin calls out Minseok's name. The freckles almost look as if they spell out a name.

_'Kim Minseok.'_

The pain on Minseok's back disappates when the Name on Jongin's skin becomes legible and Minseok feels a viscous sort of warmth radiating from his back, spreading to all parts of his body. He takes a deep, gasping breath, fingers reaching out to hover above Jongin's skin. Jongin still looks overcome with emotion, confused and scared.

Minseok holds onto the sensation a bit longer, letting his fingers curl slowly over Jongin's clavicle and then reaching back toward the middle of his back. He opens his mouth slighlty, lips forming a little 'o'. The diffuse pain scatters now, each pin point of pain dropping like snow flakes into various spots of Minseok's back. 

"Jongin-ah, it's okay" Minseok tells him, voice oddly serene. "It'll be okay."

Minseok smiles, cheeks flushing and lips curling into a grin. He's fairly sure that he's glowing at this moment, just like that girl in class today. Shining, the way Jongin was now - like a diamond.

"Hyung? What-?"

Minseok wipes the tears from Jongin's cheeks before tiptoeing to place a small but firm kiss onto Jongin's cheek. Jongin's eyes grow impossibly large as Minseok tugs on Jongin's arm, suddenly in a hurry.

"Come on, let's go to my room" Minseok urges in haste. "I have something to show you."

Somehow, Minseok's sure, that, if he looks in the mirror the patterns on his back will spell out none other than '_Kim Jongin_'.


	6. cuz i'm in too deep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _kyungsoo/minseok_  
**r**  
in which minseok has suspicions about kyungsoo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> today's prompt : mermaid au

Since their class trip to the sea side, Minseok has been looking at him funny. Kyungsoo frowns as he stares down at his textbook, pupils turning into fine slits as he tries to finish his calculus homework despite the prickling sensation of Minseok's eyes on the back of his head. He presses too hard on the paper and his lead breaks into tiny little pieces. Brushing the offending pieces off of his paper, Kyungsoo sighs at the streaks that blemish his homework. It's not a conversation he wants to have with Minseok because Kyungsoo, unfortunately, knows what this is about.

Final exams are just around the corner and despite Baekhyun saying that there are _as much as_ two weeks to study, for Kyungsoo, it's more like they _only _have two weeks to study. Try as he might to balance his martial art classes with school work, Kyungsoo knows he's been spending more time in the dojang than ever before. He goes through three or four doboks a week now and his mother has been complaining about having to wash his uniforms multiple times. 

It's not really his choice, Kyungsoo reasons. Thanks to a certain elf in his class, Kyungsoo has been feeling the pent up frustration more acutely. The only way for a healthy and appropriate release in a household where Kyungsoo had zero privacy was through physical exercise. It was unfortunate, Kyungsoo thinks, that he had been caught during the class trip. Now, his one dirty secret had been found out by none other than Minseok and Kyungsoo was paying for it dearly.

From his peripheral vision, Kyungsoo sees Minseok tip-toeing towards him, trying to use his spritely light feet to trick him. Kyungsoo bows his head even lower, hunching over his homework in an attempt to look so engrossed that Minseok won't bother him. Unfortunately, he's unsuccessful and soon enough, Kyungsoo feels the _tap, tap, tap_ of Minseok's finger on his shoulder.

Kyungsoo flinches and takes his sweet time turning his head to face Minseok. He slaps on an artificial smile before he makes eye contact - a business smile he sometimes uses when he's helping out at the goblin bank where his mother works.

"Yes, Minseok-ah?" Kyungsoo asks, voice a little stiffer than usual. "Can I help you with something?"

His wording is carefully polite and the distance it represents seems to make Minseok frown, his pixie face looking disappointed. Minseok's face hardens a little before he speaks. "Do Kyungsoo" he barks. "We need to talk."

'_Come to the botnaical lab during lunch_' is Minseok's last sentence before he leaves Kyungsoo to sweat during fourth period calculus. He doesn't remember any of the lessons from today and he fails to take down any proper notes. All he can think is '_shit shit shit shit shit_'.

He tortures himself, remembering what had transpired during the field trip. The one night they had stayed over at Jeju Island, Kyungsoo had stayed up late on purpose. He had already showered, but with Minseok sleeping so close, he had been at his limit, nostrils filling with the sweet scent of the freshly washed elf. Sneaking off when the majority of his rowdy classmates were asleep, Kyungsoo had holed himself in the bathroom to tug one out. Leaning against the stall door, Kyungsoo had stroked himself, eyes closed and thinking about the way Minseok had looked all shiny and wet in his swimsuit. Kyungsoo had come once, then twice. And when half an hour had passed and no one had come looking for him, Kyungsoo had grown confident enough to try for a third time.

But in the middle of his climax, when his defenses had lowered enough to let himself moan and cry out, the door to the public bathroom had opened. 

"_Nnngh_, Minseok-ah" Kyungsoo had purred, spilling forth milky white streams of cum straight into the toilet bowl.

"Do Kyungsoo?"

What made Kyungsoo go limp wasn't quite the fact that he had come a total of three times already. It was the fact that Minseok's airy voice was now ringing out in the tiled bathroom walls.

"Kyungsoo is that you?"

Kyungsoo had stayed silent, hair on his neck standing on edge, but Minseok had peeked under the stall to check for a pair of legs. And Kyungsoo knew that then, his cover had been blown. No one else had brought penguin slippers to the school trip.

As Kyungsoo waits in the botanical lab, he dries his palms on the sides of his pants for the umpteeth time. After sniffing some cat-mint to quell his nerves, he faces the window, practicing what he's going to say.

"I wasn't referring to you" he recites. "Really. It's just a coincidence I-"

The excuse sounds idiotic aloud. But just as Kyungsoo's trying to come up with another explanation for his indecency, the lab door opens. Minseok enters, brows furrowed and holding a spray bottle. Kyungso tilts his head at the odd position Minseok's walking in. Holding the spray bottle in front of him like a gun, Minseok shuffles closer to Kyungsoo inch by inch, body stiff and alert like he's in danger.

"Minseok-ah" Kyungsoo calls out, voice tense, but Minseok holds up a hand.

"Let me speak first" Minseok interjects.

Kyungsoo gulps, eyeing the bottle, but nods. He supposes Minseok might just have reason to want to defend himself after all.

"On the school trip" Minseok tells him, eyes narrowing. "I saw you."

Kyungsoo grimaces, but nods. The truth is the truth.

"We were on the boat and-"

"The boat?" Kyungsoo repeats, confused. Recalling back, Kyungsoo remembers the deep sea fishing experience they had been forced to take part in. Most of the boys in the class had been excited, but Kyungsoo had always been easily seasick and had forgotten to take the medicine for seasickness. He had never been too fond of large bodies of water.

"You were leaning out over the side of the boat and I saw you!" Minseok exclaims, brandishing the spray bottle. "You had a weird scale behind your ear and you were conversing with the fish!"

Kyungsoo gapes, speechless. His eyes keep flickering back and forth between Minseok and the spray bottle.

"I told Jongdae and Baekhyun and we've all come to a consensus... You're a merman, aren't you?!" Minseok points accusingly at Kyungsoo with one of his pointer fingers. "And now! I'll expose you for the creature you are!"

A shower of mist envelops Kyungsoo as Minseok sprays him with water. Kyungsoo closes his eyes, trying to supress his annoyance and urge to hiss. Minseok was one of the top scorers in their class but sometimes, he could be kind of a ditz. Kyungsoo sighs. 

"I sure am in deep" Kyungsoo mumbles. Because even that ditzy part of Minseok was looking cute at a time like this.

After some more spraying, Minseok finally stops when Kyungsoo's hair sits limp and flat against his face.

"That's odd" Minseok murmurs, looking down the point of the spray nozzle. "Merpeople are supposed to show their scales when they touch water..."

"Who told you that?" Kyungsoo asks, wiping his face with a dry hand.

"Baekhyun."

Kyungsoo sighs again, cursing the meddling little shapeshifter under his breath. "I thought this was about the bathroom incident."

Minseok puts down the spray bottle on a countertop, blinking rapidly. "The bathroom incident?" Minseok repeats. "You mean when I walked in on you taking a dump?"

Kyungsoo chokes on his own saliva, body folding over as he coughs up a lung.

"So you aren't a merman?" Minseok asks, glancing at him sideways. "You were just acting all suspicious because you were embarrassed about taking a dump?"

"First of all, I was throwing up over the side of the boat. Second of all, that wasn't scales you saw behind my ear, it was a motion sickness patch. Thirdly, I wasn't-"

Minseok suddenly flashes his teeth and gums in an all out grin. "Well why didn't you say so!" he laughs, breathing a sigh of relief. "I thought you were one of those clique-y merpeople who hate elves! I was scared, you know!"

The last of Kyungsoo's coughs die down as Minseok grips his shoulder and strokes him on the back. "You- I was- I wasn't-"

"Huh?"

Minseok's face is only about two millimeters from Kyungsoo's face as he looks up. Minseok's lips are pink and moist and Kyungsoo wonders if Minseok would freak out again if he were to kiss Minseok right here, right now.

But all Kyungsoo reads in Minseok's eyes is pure innocence and ignorance to his feelings. As he straightens up, he mumbles to himself, "All in good time. All in good time."

"What do you mean?" Minseok asks, eyeing him suspiciously again. Minseok's got his arm around Kyungsoo's waist now and Kyungsoo throws an arm around Minseok's shoulders.

"Nothing."

"Tell me!" Minseok exclaims. "You better tell me! No more secrets, especially not after I've witnessed you taking a dump."

"Please stop saying that" Kyungsoo groans.

They exit the botanical lab together, arm in arm. And as Minseok giggles, pointy ears wiggling with amusement, Kyungsoo finds himself smiling as well, touching his own ears.

"Did you really think I was a merman?" Kyungsoo asks carefully, eyes wide. He heads in the direction of the cafeteria.

Minseok shrugs. "Maybe" he drawls suggestively. "Or maybe I just wanted to spend some time alone with you... and... see you wet."

Kyungsoo's eyes bulge before he doubles over, starting to cough again. This time Minseok lets out a loud bellowing laugh as he lets go of Kyungsoo's waist and skips down the hall, feet light as always.

Twirling, Minseok sticks out a tiny pink tongue and that's the last thing Kyungsoo sees before he starts coughing again.

'_Definitely_' Kyungsoo thinks. '_Definitely in way too deep_.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Kyungsoo is a cat hybrid. Minseok is an elf. Baekhyun is a shapeshifter. Jongdae, though not mentioned, is a wizard.)
> 
> title is from the song 'in too deep' by sum41.


	7. a man, a woman, and a cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _jongin/minseok_   
**pg**
> 
> in which jongin becomes a cat and minseok turns into a girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> today's prompt: body swap

Minseok can process this much - he's hungover. But as he's brushing his teeth, he can't help but feel confused; there's something supple and squishy inhibiting the range of motion of his toothbrushing arm. No matter how many times Minseok rubs his eyes, there are still two swells under his thin sleeping shirt - something that can only be explained by the word: boobs. Amazingly, he's still somewhat calm whether it be his nerves of steel or that fact that he's still just a little bit drunk. Peering into the mirror with his bloodshot eyes, Minseok notes that his face doesn't look much different, but when he bends in, closer to the reflective surface, he notices how the edges of his jaw have become just a tad softer. 

Minseok only really starts to panic when he feels the telltale pressure right underneath his pubic bone. Nature's calling. He has to pee. But he's too scared to pull down his pants. Minseok's mouth falls open in a silent scream, toothbrush clattering into the sink. He's still foaming from the corner of his mouth when he hears Jongin's scream.

"Hyung!"

Minseok turns, half horrified that Jongin will find him like this and half hopeful that Jongin too has undergone some sort of unexplicable sex change - misery loves company after all. But instead of the familiar tall and lean build of the younger man, in gallops his cat, Tan. Tan's eyes are wider than usual and he has this crazed look that he gets sometimes when he's had too much catnip. But then, Tan opens his mouth. 

"Hyung! I- I-"

But Jongin doesn't quite get to finish his words. As soon as Tan (or Jongin so it would seem) takes one look at the transformed Minseok, the cat starts to scream in Jongin's voice.

Oddly enough, having Jongin freak out so badly turns Minseok back into calm mode. 

"So I've suddenly become a woman and you've suddenly become a cat" Minseok muses after taking a half hour on the toilet figuring out how to pee as a female.

They're in the living room now, away from the mirrors that make it difficult to focus. Channeling his inner Sherlock, Minseok tries to fold his arms across his chest, but frowns when his two new bouncy breasts make it difficult.

"But I could have sworn that I left you back in bed" Minseok recalls, rubbing his chin and leaning back on the couch. Next to him lies a distraught long-haired cat, spread-eagle on the sofa cushion. Minseok gently strokes the back of a still whimpering Jongin. "You were still in your own body not two hours ago."

But just as the words leave Minseok's mouth, the bedroom door creaks open. A very human Jongin saunters out, rubbing his sleepy eyes. Jongin the cat jumps up and hisses loudly. Minseok's jaw drops for the third time this morning.

Human Jongin blinks and stares at Minseok.

"Merow?" Tan asks, patting his stomach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mandy wrote crack and i don't care


	8. send a heartbeat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _gen; kyungsoo-centric_   
**pg**
> 
> in which they ride into the horizon. (or exo on motorcycles)  
[this is apart of a longer fic that i'm still working on, which is why some of it might not make sense. ^^;;]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> today's prompt is: end of the world

Baekhyun pulls on the scarf covering his mouth and exhales deeply as the sun comes up.

"You're gonna regret it" Kyungsoo remarks from under his own scarf. "They're coming."

A bizarre mixture of slate and amber coats the landscape ahead of them. The air is stagnant, hanging like a heavy velvet curtain before the final act. As Kyungsoo stands on the edge of the precipice, his eyes search the seemingly endless panorama of sand dunes. Behind them, lies the Old Sea where they had just come from. Now called the Murky Marshes, the Old Sea is one of the last remaining places where the sun doesn't scorch everything it touches. The Marshaldn is where they often forage for the meager flora scattered in the area. Today, their bounty doesn't amount to much and the Crow Men had chased them away as soon as it became the last hour before sunrise.

Kyungsoo looks down at his wrist watch as Baekhyun quietly hums under his breath.

"Is it bright where you are" Baekhyun sings. "Have the people changed."

Kyungsoo grimaces, undoing the buckles on his jacket to help the stifled feeling he's starting to get in his chest. His eyes flicker to the waterskins hanging from the side of his motorbike. Smacking his lips and forcing his eyes away, Kyungsoo supresses his thirst and instead, reaches for his binoculars. Tossing it to Baekhyun, he swallows dryly before opening his mouth.

"Keep watch. They said they'd be leaving as soon as the sun was up."

Baekhyun nods but starts to cough before he can raise the binoculars to his eyes. The violent coughs rack his entire body and he bends down clutching his knees for support.

"I told you to keep your scarf on" Kyungsoo tells him, but he grimaces as if he can feel Baekhyun's pain.

"It's too suffocating" Baekhyun complains once he stops coughing. "And it's getting hotter."

Kyungsoo choses not to answer. It's not like he doesn't know the feeling. Instead, he points at the binoculars again and cocks his brow, suggesting to Baekhyun that he should focus on keeping watch. As Baekhyun lies flat on his stomach, tossing a hood over his head and getting into position for surveillance, Kyungsoo moves over to their bikes to tune them up, peeling off his jacket in the process.

The two metal machines are in desperate need of oil. McGyver-ed together with various machine parts and a steel rib cage to protect the cylinders, Baekhyun's bike looks like a skeleton and though speedy, it's unable to hold as much weight as Kyungsoo's bike. Kyungsoo takes out a small travel sized oil can from his utility belt. Screwing in the braided hose, Kyungsoo carefully oils Baekhyun's motorcycle. There isn't enough to properly maintain the machine, but the amount he applies will get them to the Citadel. 

Next, he considers his own bike. Made of mostly Bavarian parts, Kyungsoo's frankenbike is of a heftier build. The burlap sacks hanging off the sides not only contain their harvest from the Marshlands, but also various parts they've scavenged along the way.

When Kyungsoo's done with maintenance of his own motorbike, he undoes his utility belt, draping it over the seat of his machine. He joins Baekhyun quietly, crouching at the edge of their cliff. The clothes they wear are not only saturated with dust, but the terracotta dye helps them blend in with the sandstone crags. Even without his belt and jacket, however, Kyungsoo feels weighed down. His body feels heavy, not only with dust and fabric, but with exhaustion and the overwhelming accumulation of Energy swirling inside of him.

Baekhyun eyes him from the corner of his eye, only slightly separating from his binoculars. 

"You must be backed up. All that Energy" Baekhyun remarks. "You haven't let loose in four days, right?"

Kyungsoo sighs. His feet tingle, being so close to solid ground and he balls his fists unconsciously at the reminder. "I'm fine" he tells Baekhyun. "I'll have ample opportunity soon."

"As for me" Baekhyun continues. "I'm forced to use my Light nearly every night. I'm almost never backed up." 

Smiling cheekily, Baekhyun sticks out the end of his tongue in Kyungsoo's direction. Immediately, he regrets it, grimacing when the dust in the air coats his tongue. He spits, trying to remove the bitter particles from inside his mouth. Kyungsoo lets out a weary chuckle. As annoying as Baekhyun could be, Kyungsoo respected him for staying so bright, even while facing the end of the world.

There's the faraway rumbling of engines behind them and Kyungsoo whips his head around. Clapping a protective hand on Baekhyun's shoulder, he speaks in a low voice.

"Stay here. I'll go check it out. Keep your eyes on the horizon."

Kyungsoo gets up, body still low, to look down the other end of the mountain. He pulls up his googles, cranking the side dial so he can zoom in on the dust cloud in the distance. His body only relaxes when he sees the familiar elongated boom sticks of Jongdae's motorcycle spouting out exhaust. Alongside Jongdae is Minseok, riding on his high suspension street bike, stripped down from its fenders, weaving in and out of Jongdae's rear dust cloud. A few yards behind the two rides Chanyeol in his old Triumph rat bike.

Pulling his googles off, Kyungsoo fails in hiding a little smirk. Rushing to follow up with Baekhyun, his stiffened expression is much more relaxed than before.

"It's them. They'll be here in about ten minutes" he tells Baekhyun. Finally, he unhooks the waterskin on his bike. Before taking a sip himself, he hands it to Baekhyun. "Drink."

Baekhyun grabs at the bag eagerly, sitting up and lowering the binoculars to wet his parched mouth. "Right on time too. Ah, I miss Minseok hyung being around."

Kyungsoo grins before taking his turn with the water. He empties the rest of the waterskin easily. "Junmyeon hyung too. Do you see anything yet?"

Baekhyun shakes his head, frowning just slightly. "Nothing."

Soon, the rumbles of the bikes grow closer and Kyungsoo instinctively closes his eyes at the dust cloud they kick up. When the engines are turned off and kickstands in place, Kyungsoo jogs up to the other three in haste. He clasps Minseok in a hug first, then Jongdae. A few seconds later, Chanyeol arrives.

Taking off his helmet and titan tinted goggles, Chanyeol stomps over to Kyungsoo. "Where's my hug?"

Kyungsoo glares before snorting in amusement. "Come here you big oaf" he says before crashing their bodies together in a bone crushing embrace.

Minseok and Jongdae walk over first to where Baekhyun lies, still holding his binoculars. When they all reconvene, Minseok taking Baekhyun's place to let him rest, Jongdae catches them up on the reconaissance they'd done on the land beyond the Marshes. Kyungsoo listens intently about news of the Bullet Farm, where he'd originally come from.

"No one we've talked to knows about the Green Place. But it wasn't a total bust. At the bottom of the canyon next to the Bullet Farm, we found some more metal we can use. We couldn't bring back all of it. No space. Too much weight."

"I hope the other guys are able to get some tar from Oil Town" Minseok murmurs. "Our bikes are shot."

"I can take a look at them" Kyungsoo says, moving to stand and fetching his utility belt.

"I'll help" Chanyeol says, joining him.

While Baekhyun and Jongdae are lying alongside Minseok, Kyungsoo and Chanyeol survey the bikes in silence. Once in a while, Chanyeol remarks on the customizations he's planning on making to his ride, but it goes in one ear and out the other to Kyungsoo. The sun beats down hard. They've been sitting ducks without cover, but height is what they need to look out for Junmyeon's group. Minutes seem like hours and though Kyungsoo's happy to be back with Chanyeol, his mind wanders and he finds his eyelids drooping involuntarily.

"-soo... Kyungsoo!"

Kyungsoo feels himself being shaken roughly. He opens his eyes wide, looking up at a semi-panicked Chanyeol who's somehow, suddenly on his feet. Sighing in relief, Chanyeol drags a hand down his own chest. Reaching out with one hand, Chanyeol solicits Kyungsoo to his feet.

"Come on" Chanyeol says, brows furrowed. "You need more water and food." Kyungsoo opens his mouth to protest, but Chanyeol is quicker. "Besides, Minseok says that he sees Junmyeon hyung's team in the distance. ETA of thirty minutes."

Kyungsoo scrambles to get up, clasping Chanyeol's hand. He runs a hand down his face, wincing at the rough and chapped texture he feels. "The bikes?" he asks, looking behind them.

"I took care of them" Chanyeol replies. "Don't worry."

At Minseok's cue, Kyungsoo mounts his bike. When Baekhyun hands Kyungsoo the binoculars, he gestures to the scarf around Baekhyun's neck.

"Put it on" Kyungsoo tells him. "Don't make me nag. It's gonna be worse with Sehun around, you know it."

Chuckling, Baekhyun complies, pulling the thick linen fabric over his nose and tightening the knot behind his neck. Baekhyun swings a leg over his bike, waiting for the others. And when Minseok revs up his engine, Kyungsoo puts his own bike into gear before squeezing the clutch lever. They make their way down the hill with Minseok leading and Chanyeol bringing up the rear. When they reach a little recess at the foot of the mountain, they stop. Watching as three blurry entities approach closer and closer, Kyungsoo starts to finger his belt impatiently.

Despite the fact that Sehun's riding a trimmed bobber of a bike, he's riding off on the side, unable to gain speed. Baekhyun laughs at the slight of the huge dust cloud that Sehun brings with him, but the sound is muffled by his scarf and then phased out completely by his coughing. Junmyeon and Jongin ride nearly side by side, but their machines are distinctly different. Junmyeon's huge front wheel can't be mistaken and Minseok muses aloud about Junmyeon's saddle bags.

"Do they look full to you?" Minseok asks Kyungsoo. "I can't tell."

Kyungsoo cranks the side dial on his googles again, zooming in on Junmyeon's motorcycle. Judging by the speed they're going, Junmyeon's bike seems weighed down, but the hardtopped saddle bags make it difficult to gauge the fullness.

Kyungsoo shrugs and focuses on Jongin's bike, the newest of the bunch. It doesn't look like the machine is slowing due to mechanical problems. Instead, it seems that Jongin is matching Junmyeon's pace. The sports bike is streaked with dust and grease, blending Jongin in with the sandy terrain as he tucks his upper body flush against the machine.

Waiting in the sparse shade, Minseok dispenses small piles of ice chips to the others. Baekhyun puts the whole handful in his mouth in one go underneath his scarf, jumping up and down when the icy temperature numbs the inside of his mouth.

"Slowly, slowly!" Minseok chastises, lightly slapping Baekhyun on the back. 

Chanyeol chews on the ice with a loud crunch, eyes never leaving the three in the distance. And as Minseok tosses his head back, crushing ice directly into his mouth, the others slowly congregate around the smaller man. The air around them drops a few degrees and Kyungsoo takes a deep breath. It finally feels like he can breathe normally again.

Ten minutes later, Junmyeon, Jongin, and Sehun arrive. Sehun nearly falls off, pulling an end-over-end with his ride, rear wheel spinning high in the air. In his anger and embarrassment, he drops the bike without propping the kickstand, causing a huge crashing noise. Baekhyun and Jongdae clutch their stomachs laughing at Sehun, but Junmyeon sighs wearily.

"Sehun-ah. That's your second bike this month. Let's not trash it already, okay? We don't have time to rebuild."

"Hyung!" Jongin comes flying right toward Minseok, flinging his helmet and scarf to the ground. "You're okay, right? I couldn't find you for a whole day!"

Referring to the recent excursion to the land beyond the marshes, Jongin fusses, recalling how he'd teleported in and out of each group's location. To reach Minseok's group, he'd zoned in on Minseok's Energy. But because they had been so far and because Jongin's Energy had been so expended, Jongin had had trouble locating the group furtherest away. 

"_We _were fine" Jongdae replies instead. "Both Chanyeol and I were on the same team as Minseok hyung, you know?"

Jongin ignores him, making sad puppy dog eyes at Minseok who just laughs, stroking Jongin's hair before pulling down his scarf and handing him ice chips.

Junmyeon too walks up to Minseok, holding out a waterskin plump with water. "Cool it for me?" he asks sluggishly. "I missed you, Minseok-ah. I feel like I've not had a proper adult conversation for the past week."

Minseok complies with a touch of his hand, chuckling at Junmyeon's grievances against the group's youngest guys. Though it's only been a few hours since sunrise, the sun is already scorching hot. The ones who've just arrived are understandably imoody, sweaty, and out of breath.

"Hyung, me too" Sehun joins, ungloving his hand and holding it out for ice. He pulls down his studded leather face mask enthusiastically.

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes to and fro worriedly. Despite Minseok's stamina, at this rate, Kyungsoo estimates that he will run out of Energy. As if reading his mind, Chanyeol speaks up.

"Before we do anything else, let's eat something" Chanyeol suggests. "Kyungsoo's looking a little pale and we could all use some nutrients."

Kyungsoo frowns, but he can't deny it. He finishes the last of his ice and turns apologetically to Minseok. "We didn't find too much in the Marshlands."

Reaching into their pack, he produces the handful of edible plants he'd harvested along with Baekhyun. Junmyeon sifts through them quickly, running water from his hand over them. Jongdae reaches into his own pack and pulls out a transparent bag filled with dried lizard meat.

"We managed to get this over at the Bullet Farm."

Sehun grabs at it eagerly, opening the bag to sniff it. "God, it's been months since we've had meat" he moans.

"Don't drool over all of it" Baekhyun yells, snatching it. "Share the scent!"

Sehun and Baekhyun take turns sniffing the bag before Jongdae wrenches it back, handing it to Junmyeon. Chanyeol takes out a large bowl in which Junmyeon deposits the leaves of washed plants. Kyungsoo grabs a handful of the vines and chews on one of them. He snatches another and puts it in Junmyeon's mouth. A third vine goes into Minseok's mouth and he chews on the bittersweet greens thoughtfully while looking into the distance. 

"Maybe we should wait until sundown" Minseok muses.

Junmyeon looks up from rationing out the dried meat. "What makes you say that?"

"The heat waves" Minseok says, pointing on the horizon. "Or is that just me?"

"Ah..." Chanyeol lets out a sound of agreement. "You're right, hyung. Might attract scavengers."

"First let's eat" Jongdae whines. "Let's not stress before we really have to."

"And before we set out, there's another thing we have to settle" Sehun adds, speaking up between bites of the dried lizard. 

They fall silent. It's a decision they've all been pushing off - The Citadel or The Green Place. Since Yixing's disappearance, the question has always caused a division. 

"We have to live before we can save Yixing" Junmyeon had said repeatedly. 

Breaking the silence now, Junmyeon repeats his sentiments more or less. "We're on the last stretch. There's no more leisure for excursions. We go to the Citadel. We regain the fortress. Then... Then..."

Junmyeon doesn't finish. Jongin and Sehun both chew their food in silence. Baekhyun slides a hand up Minseok's back soothingly while Jongdae squeezes Junmyeon's shoulder. Chanyeol plops down on the ground with a sigh as Kyungsoo turns his head. 

He's learned over the past year not to hope; something like that was dangerous. He tries to focus on the present and with that kind of thinking, he's swayed to agree with Junmyeon. 

_Just press onward._

And yet. 

Kyungsoo watches the heat waves roll in the distance. The shiny apparitions almost look like they're trying to tell him something, trying to spell something out. Kyungsoo frowns, squinting until he can almost see the outlines of Yixing's smiling face. His heart reaches out, longing to see Yixing again, longing to embrace his lost brother.

"Isn't this great, Kyungsoo-yah?" Yixing had said the night before he'd disappeared. "We're the last ones at the show. We're the only ones who can see the world being devoured by its own greed."

"And that's great?" Kyungsoo had asked back, scowling. "Isn't this sort of like torture?"

"Strange" Yixing had mused. "I see it like this - no one can separate us as long we we're under the same sky. We're nearly all that is left and that- Well, that seems very cool to me."

But this is the end of the world. This is the post-apocolyptic nightmare that everyone had been so worried about. Ironically, their worries had been for nothing since the vast majority were gone now. The only survivors were ones who possessed Energy. 

No, at this point, hope was a kind of disease, Kyungsoo decides - infecting actions, thoughts, and emotions until one was forced to behave irrationally. The only true ending was imbued with pain and sorrow.

"To the Citadel then" Kyungsoo agrees aloud - perhaps one final nail in the coffin.

There was no longer any room nor anyone left to hate. There was only room for hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inspired by 'The Beginning is The End is The Beginning' by Smashing Pumpkins as well as 'Mad Max Fury Road'.


	9. pieces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _jongin/minseok; jongin-centric_  
**pg**  
exo!powers au meets sentinel/guide au meets pacific rim au  
[this is a tiny extension of a wip which is why some of the plot may not make sense.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> today's prompt: time travel

The Gargantuan Honggui bounds closer to the beach, lunging at Jongin quicker than ever before. Jongin's known for his speed, but the eighteen story monster isn't. Jongin's Jaeger is about a mile out in the sea and Jongin's eager to get back to it and his partner. Surprised by the alien's celerity, Jongin jumps like he always does - through space. 

He means to teleport to his Jaeger; however, something feels different this time. Jongin feels a snap of the invisible string that's always tied to Minseok - his partner who's currently all alone with their Jaeger. A feeling akin to having the wind knocked out of his lungs makes Jongin wince in pain. And in the next moment, when he blinks, he's surrounded by pure, unblighted snow.

At first, Jongin thinks he's just teleported too far. He'd overshot his jumps before. But the crisp air hits his lungs with a sharp, painful level of oxygen. The surrounding forest don't look familiar at all. And most importantly, the connection to Minseok is seemingly severed.

Jongin's down on his knees before he knows it, sinking into the snow covered ground, grasping at his chest and letting out a sob over the loss within his very being. He's not safe like this, exposed and without his partner. He doesn't want to think about having to be intimate with another just to heal, but he can feel the swirl of his powers coiling in the core of his soul like a viper ready to strike and he hasn't properly rested after manning the Jaeger for so long.

Jongin briefly wonders if he's on another planet. But as he nearly coughs up a lung, heaving on all fours with his head hanging, he knows that's not true. Even if Jongin were on another planet, he'd still feel the invisible connection with Minseok. No, this was-

"Another dimension" Jongin whispers, closing his eyes and trying to hone in on Minseok's frequency.

When his lungs settle, Jongin ventures another look around him. This is a strange place, not too different from the world he's used to but dissimilar in a disturbing way. Jongin shudders before standing up. He's on top of a hill overlooking something like a crater. Instead of a gutted center, the crater seems to nest an opaque bubble made of ice, sending of ethereal waves of water vapor billowing into the sky.

Jongin frowns. The energy he feels from the area is familiar but it's hard to place. Half in a trance, Jongin draws closer to the ring of solid ice. The edges of the icy walls look as if someone had frozen the water splashing upward from a dropped pebble. From the faint energy it's emitting, it also feels like the bubble is enclosing something in the center. The snow merely falls on the edges; never does the falling snow settle on the icy globe.

Impatient, Jongin jumps through space and lands near the crater. There's a faint blue glow coming from within that piques Jongin's interest. Jongin's injuries feel a little numb as if someone has put a salve over them. His lungs feel a lot more stable now and the air, though still freezing, doesn't make his throat prickle. 

Jongin's warily surveying the massive object when there's suddenly a whimpering sound that fills Jongin's ears. The sound is coming from within the chamber of ice.

Jongin puts a hand on the ice wall and immediately draws back, hissing. The cold is searing and nothing like Jongin's ever felt before. He looks down at his finger tips, raw and red from the freeze burn. He hears the crying noise again. It sounds like a child.

Taking his outer shirt off, he wraps it around his fist. Ignoring the cold that makes his bare arms scream, he bangs on the ice, searching for weak spots. The more he smashes the wall, the more frantic he becomes. Something tells him that he must save the life within.

[Who's there?]

It's a childish voice. But it's not something Jongin hears with his ears.

[Are you going to hurt me?]

"No, of course not" Jongin replies to the voice in his head, aloud. "I just want to save you."

Suddenly, a piece of the wall breaks free. It clatters to the ground, making Jongin startle.

[Watch out.] The young voice warns.

Jongin teleports a short distance away and from the distance, he sees the walls of ice shattering into a million sparkling pieces. The ice shards seem to suspend in midair for a minute, before they all come crashing down. Jongin tears his eyes away from the glistening particles in the air. In the midst of the ruins, is a small pale boy, cheeks wet with tears.

[They all left me.]

Jongin jumps back to where the boy is, suspended in what looks like an icy pedestal. The boy's eyes open wide. His irises are glowing neon blue as he cries.

"They left me" the boy repeats aloud in a small voice. "I'm all alone."

When Jongin reaches up his arms to embrace the boy; he does so unconsciously. The icy pillar moves, lowering the boy down into Jongin's arms. The young boy sobs into Jongin's shoulder, clinging onto Jongin's bare skin. Jongin is suprised; he doesn't feel the cold any more, though something tells him that he should be a frost bitten mess.

"Are you a-" Jongin starts to ask, but before he finishes, the boy nods.

"I'm an energy user" the boy explains. "My name's Minseok."


	10. for the glory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _jongin/minseok; jongin-centric_  
**pg**  
sparta au + abo; in which jongin finds a runaway omega.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> today's prompt: historical au

Stalwart, unrelenting, and intrepid - this is how the Spartans are brought up as children.

Training for battle and discouraging weakness have always been a way of life. Alphas are adept at leadership, fighting for the safety and progress of the community. Betas are skilled in providing support; if the alphas are the head, the betas are the hands and feet of the whole state. Omegas supply the backbone, keeping the peace and order; they respected in the highest order for they also bring forth strong able Spartans.

There is a rite of passage one must take at the age of sixteen, when a child becomes a man or a woman. Separated by gender and class, each are given different tasks to prove their training. Alphas are led into the woods with nothing but the skin on one's back. Strong alphas are sent into darkness and are to emerge victorious as warriors.

Every year at winter, the young alphas males make their way into the mountains with an adult guide. Left at the mouth of a cave, they must survive the elements, terrain, and wild life for five days. At the end, when they come forth victorious, there is a celebration and reward ceremony.

Jongin is amongst those going into the woods this year. He has prepared for this all his young life. He is ready and eager. He bids goodbye to his omega mother with one last embrace and to his alpha father gives the firm grip of his hand, wrapping an arm around his father's shoulders. There are twelve boys in Jongin's group this year. They are of age, not yet men. But they are keen to prove themselves and though the cold icy wind cuts through their skin, they grit their teeth and stand firm, baring their skin for the battle to come.

Once they are left, some boys group together choosing to forge an alliance for survival. However, Jongin is one of the alphas who break off alone. Silently, he stalks into the woods, heavy with snow. His eyes quickly dart to and fro; he is searching for something as there is no time to waste. He is hungry, he is cold, and to solve these problems, he needs a weapon.

The first prospect he comes across is a sharp branch, half frozen and splintered off from a large birch tree. He's snapping off the smaller branches with his bare hands when he sees him from the corner of his eye - a white wolf.

The wolf's eyes are flashing yellow. Like an old comrade, the wolf doesn't seem to fear Jongin. The large creature considers Jongin, then tosses his head and snorts into the wind. Jongin contemplates the wolf's coat with greedy eyes and a lick of his lips. He is too cold to spend time on wonderment at the majestic beast and though he feels the proper respect, he knows he will lose to the frost if he does not get some warmth soon.

Jongin crouches, swaying lightly on the balls of his feet. The snow crackles under his sandals. He grips the stick in his right hand. He's hunted game before - smaller creatures like rabbits and foxes, pheasants and quail. He's never brought down large prey like this. 

He thinks it a pity, killing an animal for nothing but its fur. But another freezing wind billows into the densely packed forest. Jongin shivers uncontrollably, unable to stop for a few minutes. When he is able to stop and regain his facilities, he also renews his determination. He regrips the stick in his hand and lunges.

His makeshift spear however, never meets its target. Before Jongin is even a meter closer to the beast, another body comes from out of the trees through the periphery and crashes into Jongin's body midair. The smell more than the impact confuses Jongin, knocking him down on his back. Disoriented, Jongin is unable to do anything but blink multiple times on the snow ridden floor of the forest.

The scent is like a crisp sunny day, something out of place in this desolate winter territory. Jongin closes his eyes and inhales deeply. Memories of freshly washed sheets and a warm comforting bed wash over him and he sighs happily. What snaps him out of his reverie is the low growl that fills the air.

Jongin whips his body to standing. Crouched low and both looking for his weapon and the location of the wolf, Jongin's eyes are frantic. What comes into his line of sight however surprises him so much that he lets his body go slack for the second time.

A boy with pale white skin has his arms wrapped around the wolf in question. Wrapped in a coat made of multiple rabbit furs, the shorter boy's eyes are wary and frightened. The wolf whines shortly and nuzzles the boy, licking his cheek before sauntering back, deeper into the woods.

Jongin forgets about his weapon. Without thinking, he releases the deep hold he has on his pheromones. The musky alpha scent fills the small clearing and Jongin sees the pale boy grimace then stiffen in a defensive stance.

Taking a step closer, Jongin reaches out to the boy.

"Who are you?" Jongin asks aloud.

The cold wind stifles his voice, but the boy blinks. Instead, the scent of sunshine and laundry gets stronger. Jongin's eyelids slide shut as he inhales deeply. Something unfurls in the pit of his stomach, warming him from within. Quite suddenly, he feels the overwhelming urge to bury his nose in the crook of the boy's neck. His teeth feel like they're tingling with desire. Though the wolf has gone, Jongin once again hears a low growl fill the air.

When he opens his eyes, Jongin realizes that he's the one growling. Something clicks inside of his head as Jongin sees the pale boy creeping closer to where Jongin stands. Though drawing closer in distance, Jongin and the boy start to circle each other.

"Who are you?" Jongin repeats.

But inside his head, he already knows the answer.

_Omega_.

_His _omega.


	11. close up, the stars aren't as beautiful as you are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _minseok-centric; jongin/minseok_  
**pg**  
in which minseok floats between dream and reality.  
[this is the same verse as the fic "the night's glow of the fireflires".]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> today's prompt: long distance relationship

"More beautiful to me than any flower" croons Billy Ocean on the radio. "You're my Rose."

Leaning back on his elbows, Minseok closes his eyes, soaking up the summer sun. They're out in the neighborhood park on a crinkly vinyl picnic mat. Suddenly, Jongin turns to Minseok.

"Hyung" he calls, making Minseok open his eyes and look at him. "Compared to a rose, you're-"

Minseok's already blushing, bringing a hand up to his reddening cheek.

"You're not as beautiful" Jongin finishes with a smirk.

Minseok drops his hand, yelping and throwing a fist of torn grass at him. Jongin laughs, not bothering to brush off the green blades.

"But to me, you're much more fragrant than a rose" he murmurs, burying his nose into Minseok's neck.

This time, Minseok blushes even deeper, crimson staining down to his collarbones. Jongin chuckles into Minseok's cheek, biting it softly, then pressing a gentle kiss to the soft spot right next to Minseok's lips.

The memory comes like an insult, affronting and shocking. 

"Turn that off" Minseok tells Office Lee sharply.

"Sir, you don't like this song?" The mp3 player goes for a second and then another Billy Ocean song comes up. "We can try another."

"There'll be sad songs to make you cry" Billy sings. "Love songs often do."

Minseok just scowls and before be can say something he regrets, he retreats to his containment unit. Briefly, he feels a tiny bit of guilt creeping into his chest as he leaves his other crewmates in distressed confusion. It's been one year in space and if anything, it's become harder to be apart from Jongin.

As Minseok climbs into the inside of the unit, ready to go into an induced sleep, Minseok tries not to look out the window. Planet Earth is too far away, but Jongin is still in his heart. The glass door closes over his tightly secured body. Hearing the _whoosh _of the decompression, Minseok sighs, closing his eyes.

He doesn't want to be like this. He doesn't want to cry or lash out. He is tired of always longing for someone he can't have. Gingerly, as if he's handling a fresh, sensitive wound, Minseok recalls the memory again. This time he lets it play out a little longer, remembering how Jongin had sung into Minseok's ear - a low reverberating voice that Minseok had felt to his very bones.

Shuddering, Minseok lets himself remember the hours of dusk just before the last of the sun had faded from view. He remembers the temperature of Jongin's lips and the vibrations of his tongue. The indicator light on his unit turns green before it beeps, indicating the seconds before induced slumber. And right before Minseok falls into a deep, deep sleep, he remembers the beat of Jongin's heart, in sync with his own.

"And though you might not shine brighter than a star" Minseok thinks, listening to Jongin's singing. "You're much much warmer."


	12. you can call me monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _kyungsoo/minseok; chanyeol/minseok_  
**r**  
gang au + robot au
> 
> [wrote yet another extension of a wip i'm planning ^^;; hope you enjoy!]  
(and as always...no beta... D: will come back later to edit)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> today's prompt: mafia/gang au

The hanging overhead lamp sways from the impact of the last blow, causing the shadows to dance on bare concrete walls. Humid and moldy, the stagnant air of the warehouse basement doesn't make it any easier to breathe through the multiple lacerations on Minseok's lungs. Hands tied from a vinyl rope hanging from a meat hook, Minseok coughs are more like a sputter, splattering blood on the smooth walls. 

The left eye is already too puffy to look out of, but Minseok turns his focus to the man in the shadows. Though it's Chanyeol that's beating him, the man in the back is the one calling the shots.

"Again" comes a low, quiet voice from the dark recess of the room.

Gripping the metal band around his gloved fist, Chanyeol punches with his right fist, cutting across Minseok's left cheekbone once more. The bone underneath is no doubt fractured from the last hour of abuse. However, there's no time to even breath in between before a well placed push kick to Minseok's bare chest knocks the wind out of him. Minseok coughs, head hanging, even more violently than before but the cords on his wrists keep him in place.

"Take his pants off" says the deep voice. A deep inhale precedes an exhale emitting a cloud of smoke just visible through the single beam of light over Minseok's head. "But keep his underwear on."

There's a smirk hidden in the man's tone of voice. Minseok grimaces, not from the pain but more from imagining what the man has in store for Minseok. He hears the scrape of a sole on the floor as a cigarette is stamped out. Chanyeol's hands are rough on Minseok's belt and the force with which Chanyeol jerks the fabric down and off his legs makes Minseok jolt and sway from the hook. The movement jostles his painful bones and tugs at the mangled flesh. Minseok lets out a curt sound of pain.

"Don't tell me you're giving up now" the man chuckles. "The proud, heavy lipped Kim Minseok, breaking already?"

In front of him, Chanyeol's eyes are like a dead fish's, unseeing and glazed over. Minseok wants to say something to him - perhaps call out Chanyeol's name or perhaps beg and plead for him to come back to his senses. 

'_You said you would always be on my side! Was our relationship that weak?_'

However, when Chanyeol's eyes focus briefly on Minseok's face, they register nothing and Minseok fails to suppress a sob. In the end, Minseok's not some female lead in a B rated soap opera and Chanyeol isn't the type of man who can be moved by things like emotion - at least, not anymore.

"Chanyeol-ah..." The name escapes Minseok's lips, more for Minseok himself than for the owner of the name. At the very least, Minseok doesn't want to forget the things that have transpired between them.

Chanyeol makes one final tug, wrenching the pants free from Minseok's feet and his shoes along with it. Leather shoes dully clatter on the hard floor then roll into some dark corner. Standing upright once more, Chanyeol awaits his next order, eyes locked on Minseok's bloody body like a target to be eliminated. There are multiple bloody bruises on Minseok's sternum, but that's not what makes his heart hurt.

"Touch him."

Slowly, Chanyeol palms just below the band of his underwear. A warm temperature simmers through the thin fabric, gathering friction until a white hot heat makes Minseok's cock twitch. When Minseok musters enough courage to look up, Chanyeol's eyes reflect nothing but ice. The tears fall from Minseok's eyes unbidden, try as he might to stop them. The moisture catches the light from above, glistening on top of Minseok's face through the blood and bruises. It's then that there's the click of fancy dress shoes on the concrete floor, getting closer to where Minseok hangs. Minseok closes his eyes, the last drops of tears dripping down his chin to the floor. The man in the shadows draws near and Minseok can smell the familiar scent of musk and tobacco. 

"So, it's true" the man scoffs, voice filled with disbelief.

Minseok opens his one good eye and weakly lifts his head to face the man in control of Chanyeol.

"They told me that Kim Minseok was obsessed with his new toy but, I didn't believe it - until now."

The man finally steps from the shadows and into the light. The man in the sleek black suit is shorter than Chanyeol, barely, reaching his shoulder. However, the aura that the shorter man emits is enough to make Minseok's cold turn to ice. The man reaches a hand up to Chanyeol's shoulder, pushing back lightly and signaling him to back off. Chanyeol bows and retreats one step into the shadows. When he does so, Minseok feels the distance like an acute loss and lets out a shaky breath.

"Do Kyungsoo" Minseok's voice sounds shredded, just like the state of his knuckles and knees. "Please."

There's a low chuckle that comes from Kyungsoo as his eyes flicker back and forth from Chanyeol to Minseok. 

"Let Chanyeol go" Minseok whispers, voice hoarse.

Kyungsoo shakes his head slightly and though his mouth curves with his amusement, his eyes are still dark and cold.

"Who would have known that the reason behind Kim Minseok's retirement would be because of some-" Unlike Kyungsoo's previously calm and slow demeanor, Kyungsoo suddenly places a swift kick to the side of Minseok's knees, "- fucking," another kick, this time to Minseok's lower abdomen, "-stupid," Kyungsoo swings his arm back, eyes blazing with resentment and anger, "- robot?!" A final punch to Minseok's face makes Minseok's neck snap to the right, sending out a spattering - a tooth and a mouthful of blood.

Chanyeol stands unmoving to the side, hands behind his back and eyes locked on some spot on the wall opposite to him. If Chanyeol registers anything, he doesn't say. If he remembers the past two years with Minseok at all, his eyes don't betray it. If at any time, Chanyeol recalls the _I-love-you_'s whispered during the recent hot summer nights, Chanyeol doesn't let it show. There's nothing behind those cold gray eyes and though Minseok knows it, he finds it hard to let go.

As Kyungsoo keeps beating the man that he once loved enough to make his right hand man - his partner in running the underground empire they'd built - Minseok briefly thinks that it must be nice. It must be nice being a humanoid automaton able to have memories wiped clean at any time. It must be nice being a mafia boss able to control anything and anyone. Because there are exactly two humans and one cyborg in this room and somehow, Minseok is the one at the bottom of the pole. And though, amongst the humans, one is sobbing on the inside and the other is trying to cry through the blows, the robot in this is feeling nothing - nothing at all. 

To the human, perhaps a declaration of love would be enough to end this. To the robot, perhaps unplugging his power source would be the end of it all. Either way, Minseok had messed it all up for himself. Unfortunately, the one Kyungsoo was trying to unplug from life was Minseok. Tragically, the one being Minseok had promised his love to wasn't made of flesh and blood. 


	13. rock hard rock steady

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _minseok-centric _feat. junmyeon, baekhyun, chanyeol, jongin, and sehun. (_sekai _if you look a little deeper)  
**pg-13**  
band au
> 
> title: rock hard rock steady (or the time minseok's out of sync with the band)  
[this is another extraction from a wip verse i'm working on ^^;; apologies if it doesn't quite make sense. there's no real plot to this.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> today's prompt: band au

  
The green room at Club Buska is always too cramped, but this is one of the clubs that frequently let them play. Chanyeol's in his own world, headphones on and plugged into his electronic drum pad. Eyes closed and head thrown back, he's driving hard into his drumming and driving Minseok crazy. Polishing his bass, Minseok tries to relax before it's their turn on stage. The place is already too loud as the stage is right above them, but Baekhyun manages to make it louder by warming up his throat with obnoxiously loud scales.

"Shove off!" Jongin yells. "Fuckin' give it back!"

Sehun holds the whammy bar out of Jongin's reach after wrestling it from Jongin's hands. 

"Make me" Sehun taunts. "Fuckin' _make _me!"

A determined set to his lower lip, Jongin grabs Sehun's crotch, causing Sehun to yelp and drop the whammy bar. Except that the whammy bar drops right on Chanyeol's head. Chanyeol screams and jumps, both from the pain and from the surprise. But the drummer is all long limbs and too tall for the crowded room. Bumping his head on a low rafter, he falls backward, kicking his drum pad machine to the floor and sending his headphones flying. The headphones smack Minseok in the face and when they do, Minseok lunges on instinct, trying to catch them midair. But when he does, Minseok falls as well, losing his balance. He reaches out instinctively and accidentally catches Baekhyun by the elbow. However, Baekhyun's too busy pacing the room to be solid enough to catch Minseok that suddenly. Baekhyun screeches as Minseok takes Baekhyun down along with him. 

The end result is this: Chanyeol on his back, clutching the back of his head, with Minseok's face buried in his lower belly and Baekhyun's ass pinning down Chanyeol's legs.

Sehun and Jongin are holding each other's arms, cackling as they are somehow allied again over the others' pain. When Minseok tries to scramble up, his legs get tangled in Baekhyun's and his face slips lower down, lips scraping against Chanyeol's belt buckle. Luckily, his arms grip the floor and wall paneling to prevent further contact with Chanyeol's dick. This isn't the time for that, after all. 

"Are the walls spinning?" Chanyeol asks Minseok, still clutching his head. "Why are the walls spinning?"

"That's just the writing on the walls" Baekhyun reassures him, brushing dust off his body dramatically. "Dust it off and let's get ready for the show!"

Amazingly, Baekhyun's still in high spirits despite the fall and Minseok suspects it's something that he's mixed in his preshow drink. Minseok narrows his eyes at the two youngsters who are at the root of all this. He opens his mouth to scold, trying to inspect Chanyeol's drum machine for damages, when the stage manager pokes his head in.

"Five minutes" he shouts. "No time for sound check."  
  


The energy changes in the room as if a switch has been flipped. Even Baekhyun's usual cavalier attitude has morphed into something resembling charisma. Chanyeol grabs his drumsticks while Baekhyun takes one last swig of his drink, grabbing a fresh water bottle. Minseok holds his bass close, making sure it doesn't bump into anything along the way. Sehun and Jongin both strap their electric guitars to their bodies. The traverse the narrow hallway and stomp up the stairs. Before they go on stage, Minseok brings them into a huddle.

"Play hard" Minseok says. 

"Lose Control" Baekhyun and Chanyeol chant.

"And come out alive!" Sehun and Jongin shout.

They toss their hands down and singe file onto the stage. The crowd cheers with some whistling and cat calls. Baekhyun grins cockily and faces the audience as the others set up.

"What's up Itaewon!" Baekhyun screams micless.

The audience cheers and laughs, some more drunk than others.

"We're gonna start off with a song that's gonna blow your minds!" Turning to Chanyeol and then to the others to see if they're ready, Baekhyun nods briefly at Chanyeol, gripping the mic.

"One two. One two three four!" Chanyeol counts them off and the sound blasts from the sound system, amps at full blast.

It's almost scary how in sync they are - frightening how well matched they are with their instruments. Steady Minseok, who only sometimes defaults as the band's leader due to his age, is on the bass. Wild and free, Baekhyun sings his heart out and handles the crowd so well, they're eating from his palm by the end of the night. Jongin and Sehun get high off the music from their electric guitars with Jongin on lead and Sehun on rhythm. Chanyeol, the backbone of their sound, is a mix between crazy drumming skills and constant beats, knowing when to switch from the two extremes and when to ride the line in between.

And as they all move to the beat and jump at the rests, stomping on the floor when the down beat hits, they all have one thought in common.

  
Backstage in this small ass pub is only reserved for staff and artists. Still, after a show, somehow the groupies find their way to the back. There's a tall waifish girl hanging off of Chanyeol's shoulder, leaning her cheek at the peak of Chanyeol's deltoid with stars in her eyes. Her lips are painted a pretty, pretty coral orange and Minseok catches Chanyeol's eyes flickering down to the girl's mouth more often than not.

There are other girls and boys, hanging onto the door way, peeking at Minseok and Baekhyun - too shy to hold a proper conversation. Minseok furrows his brows and pretends not to see them through the clouds of cigarette smoke, but Baekhyun's shit-eating grin gets wider and cockier as he purposefully leans into their personal space.

"So, did you like our show?" Baekhyun asks in a low voice specifically reserved for their fans.

Sehun and Jongin stand side by side, trying to look cool and aloof. But Sehun's leg is jiggling - a dead giveaway that he's on edge and hungry. Jongin's eyes are directed on his phone screen, avoiding eye contact with the groupies at their periphery on purpose. He shrugs one arm of his leather jacket off, tongue peeking out of his lips. He turns to Sehun, lips pressed against Sehun's ear, way too close.

"It's hot back here" Jongin explains unncessarily, hot and breathy against the other boy's ear. The fans lap it up.

"So Sehun-ah, what are you going to go eat?" one lithe and smokey eyed boy asks. His short fingermails are painted black and they rake across Sehun's sweaty chest.

Sehun shrugs, but smiles at the shorter boy. "What do you think? Do you recommend anything in the area?"

"How about the pasta at Michel's?" The shorter boy's cheeks grow rosy with the attention and he flutters his lashes, peering up at Sehun. "The carbonara is really-"

"I don't feel like pasta" Jongin interrupts, tilting his head so it rests on Sehun's shoulder. He's stuffing his phone into his back pocket when he spies the long haired girl in the lilac summer dress. With a free hand Jongin slides his fingers lightly down her bare arm absent-mindedly. The girl titters and flushes a deep red all the way down to her collarbones at the skinship. "I want pork belly" he says, eyes staring into the girl's wide, star-struck eyes. His fingers entwine with the girl's causing the girl to squeak in a high pitch that hurts Sehun's ear. "Don't you think pork belly is better than pasta?" Jongin asks her, feigning innocence - as if he doesn't know exactly what he's doing.

The girl nods vigorously, sending her hair flowing in waves. Whether she is cognizant of the actual decision is up for question, but Jongin grins triumphantly up at Sehun's face, dropping the girl's hand immediately.

"Ha!" he says lightly, bumping his nose with Sehun's.

"Pork belly it is" Sehun chuckles deeply.

Minseok sighs, watching the two boys from further down the hall where he'd retreated after witnessing the sickening spectacle of Baekhyun serenading some of the groupies. The keys to band's van are swinging around his right pointer finger. He's about to open his mouth to scream at his band-mates when a hand claps on his shoulder. Startled, Minseok whips around and just as he does, he hears the loud collective scream of a group of girls near by.

"Hello." 

Minseok blinks up to see one of the most popular actors of Korean day time television looking back at him.

"Hello?" Junmyeon says again. "My name is Kim Junmyeon. I'm a huge fan."

"You're-" Minseok manages to get out before Baekhyun , appearing out of no where, shoves Minseok aside, shaking the hand Junmyeon's offered.

"Hi! Wow, I've seen you on television! I can't believe you came to our show!" Baekhyun's shouting.

Chanyeol too bowls into Minseok's back, causing him to sputter. "Wow, Kim Junmyeon came to our show. Wow. Daebak." And though Chanyeol's voice sounds a little soulless, there's this intense glow to his wide eyes.

Suddenly, Sehun pokes his long neck into the mix, peering quite rudely into Junmyeon's face. "Wow, your skin is really nice" he observes. "I'm Oh Sehun."

Junmyeon laughs, unfazed by the attention. "It's nice to meet all of you. I love your band's music, but... I'm actually a fan of Minseok's in particular."

Minseok starts in surprise, the reaction accented by the kohl rimming his eye. Not many people are fans of the bass player.

"Oof" Sehun grunts as Jongin dumps his whole upper torso onto Sehun's back.

"Hi" Jongin grins slow and purposeful. "I'm Jongin" he purrs. "I'm younger than Minseok hyung. And I'm the lead guitar."

The implication is loud and clear and Junmyeon laughs awkwardly before clearing his throat. The pristine beige linen suit he has on is a stark contrast to the dingy and smoke-filled hallways of Club Buska.

"Well, again, it's nice to meet you all." Junmyeon rummages around his coat pocket and produces a tiny notepad and pen. "Can I get an autograph?"

Junmyeon looks directly at Minseok with a little hopeful smile and Minseok can't help but melt a little inside.

"Of course!" Minseok squeaks, his previous annoyance washed away by Junmyeon's gentle manner.

Minseok doesn't catch Chanyeol scoffing as he turns his head. He doesn't catch Sehun's face hardening nor does he see Jongin's pout. But just as Minseok uncaps the pen, Baekhyun snatches it from his grip, taking the notepad shortly after.

"Who should we make it out to?" Baekhyun asks, unabashedly. "Junmyeon-ssi? Or just Kim Junmyeon?"

"Ah..." Minseok stares with a slightly open mouth. "Byun Baekhyun, he asked for-"

Junmyeon meets the eyes of each band member, considering each with a neutral expression before curving his eyes into half moons. "Anything would be fine."

The guys all take turns signing into Junmyeon's notepad, but when Minseok bows his head to scribble his own, something in the air changes. The smiles on the rest of the boys' faces stiffen, staring hard at the newcomer, Junmyeon. Junmyeon holds his own. The genteel, mild mannered expression on his face dissipates and an omniscient look settles into a smirk.

"Here you go" Minseok says, holding out the notepad and pen after completing his signature with a little heart drawing.

"Thank you, Minseok-ssi" Junmyeon returns, eyes curving into crescents. He bows and tells them that he's looking forward to their next set.

When Junmyeon leaves, they're silent for a second before Baekhyun opens his mouth.

"What a pretentious jerk" he laughs.

"Mmm... a two faced kind of person. Hyung, don't talk to him again, OK?" Jongin asks, puppy dog eyes on full blast.

"He was nice" says Sehun, turning to Minseok. "But he seemed fake."

"I know what you mean" Chanyeol agrees. "I wonder if show business changes people."

"You jerks" Minseok says after a beat, turning to face the rest of the band. "You're just saying that because he said he was _my _fan, right?"

The younger boys turn their heads, while Baekhyun and Chanyeol snicker behind their hands. In the end, no one denies it.

  
  



	14. the favorite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _minseok-centric_  
**pg-13**  
royalty au; in which minseok gets added to the harem
> 
> title: the favorite
> 
> Happy Liberation Day!  
This was going to be NC-17 but I couldn't finish in time. The naughty version will be posted at a later date.
> 
> This is unedited as per the usu. I'll come back and fix it later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> today's prompt is: royalty au

His imperial majesty, known for his just rulings and peaceful reign, is rumored to collect only the most beautiful and the most skilled for his famous harem of noblemen. Even amongst the handpicked group of men, a subtle tension exists for the Majesty's favor. So when the new addition comes in, swathed in a pale blue sheer silk robe, the others are wary of the shorter man with cat-like eyes.

"Chanyeol-ah, please escort Minseok to his new chambers. He's completed his lessons on palace etiquette so there shouldn't be any problems." The head eunuch gives Minseok a gentle push towards the tall man in the dark indigo robe.

The new addition hangs his head in a low bow and only looks at his feet as the eunuch leaves them. The East Palace, specifically reserved for the King's harem is silent as the servants bring in the new boy's things. There isn't much to bring in and as the servants file out, Baekhyun bumps his arm into the new boy's side.

"So your name is Minseok of the Kim family?" he asks, smile on his face. The question is rhetorical for there isn't a man there that doesn't know Minseok's information.

Minseok nods and looks up curiously at the smiling nobleman in front of him. Byun Baekhyun is quite famous, even amongst the commoners, so Minseok has heard a lot about him. There are likenesses of the man that are spread between girls - rich or poor. Minseok thinks that the painted likeness does no justice to Baekhyun's real life form. 

Then, Minseok's eyes focus on the three other men behind Baekhyun. As rumored, the men of the King's harem are all incredibly gorgeous and stunning. Minseok wonders how and why he was chosen. He hangs his head, embarrassed at the thought of belonging to the same group as these men; after all, Minseok isn't of noble birth. He gathers the rustling fabric tighter around his body. It hadn't been his idea to wear such an embarrassing outfit, but his aunt had been insistent that this would please the King. But the bashful motion, instead of hiding Minseok's body, just brings attention to the milky pale skin shining through the mesh-work.

A tall intimidating man in a cornflower robe stomps over to where Minseok stands. His eyebrows are handsomely set on his perfectly shaped forehead. And Minseok notes that his jet black hair is softly combed so that his hair shines in the sunlight.

"I'm Oh Sehun" the man says, bending down slightly to peer into Minseok's face. "I'm the youngest here. How old are you?"

"I'm- I'm twenty three this year" Minseok answers, clenching his teeth and his fists. His age is another embarrassing trait. He's much too old to be making his palace debut.

But at Minseok's answer, the stern look on Sehun's face transforms. His eyes melt from a hard stare into half moons, changing his aura completely.

"Oh wonderful! Another hyung-nim" Sehun says, chuckling lowly. He slides an arm under Minseok's, watching as the intimate gesture dusts Minseok's cheeks with the hue of a young rose bud. "I like older men. We'll get along just great."

A man with pouty lips and alluringly hooded eyes quietly comes behind Minseok, making him jump a little. "I'm a few months older than Sehun-ee. My name is Jongin, but the King sometimes calls me Kai." Despite his confident tone of voice, the golden haired man looks timid, picking at the ends of his lilac robe.

"Jongin's a palace dancer" Sehun explains. "He's a favorite of the whole royal family."

A warm hand envelops Minseok's causing Minseok to look up sharply. It's Chanyeol, the man much taller than Minseok. 

"This way" he says, actions gentler than his words. "Your room. I'll show you where it is."

Though Minseok's tired, he's grateful for the others in his new room keeping him company. Minseok's not used to the palace, having come from a rather normal household in the Joseon kingdom. 

What is different about the men here, Minseok notices, is that they are very free with their intimacy. Minseok has grown up as a modest sort of citizen. However, despite the fact that they've all just met Minseok today, the men of the King's harem are very forward.

Examining the contents of Minseok's armoire, Baekhyun goes through all of Minseok's clothes. Though there's not much to begin with, Baekhyun comments on each robe and each sash, remarking on the style and embroidery. Sehun jumps onto Minseok's new bedding, rubbing his face into the soft cotton and declaring to Minseok that he'll be sleeping with Minseok tonight.

"I can't sleep alone, Hyung-nim" Sehun says matter-of-factly. "I always have to sleep with someone."

Jongin immediately takes off his outer robe upon entering Minseok's chambers. 

"I don't usually wear many articles of clothing while inside the Eastern Palace. I only donned these robes for your first day, Minseok hyung-nim."

Meanwhile, Chanyeol's hand has not separated from Minseok's. With his large, doe-like eyes, Chanyeol stares at Minseok unabashedly.

"Have you had the other lessons?" Chanyeol asks, lips pressed unnecessarily close to Minseok's earlobe.

"Other lessons?" Minseok returns, leaning back just slightly.

Baekhyun's eyes brighten as he nears the bedding where they've all settled into. "Oh yes. As apart of the King's harem, we go through additional training."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I haven't yet-"

"It's alright" Sehun purrs like a house cat. "We can teach you the fundamental tenets."

Jongin stretches lazily across Minseok's lap, grinning. He takes off his cream colored under tunic and sits up, bare chested. Minseok feels his ears turn pink, but he keeps a straight face.

"It's the most important part of the training" Baekhyun tells Minseok, eyes suddenly serious. Baekhyun grips Minseok's shoulders and leans in. "You must learn how to please the King in bed."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all who leave comments/kudos. It really means a lot <3


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